JP7734367B2 - gaming machines - Google Patents

Description

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

In recent years, pachinko and other gaming machines have been provided with detachable frame decoration members specific to the game board to enhance decorativeness. These gaming machines use the frame decoration members to, for example, execute specific effects related to the variable display of symbols displayed on a display unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, checking the operating status of the frame decoration member requires the user to turn the power on and off each time the frame decoration member is attached, which is a time-consuming process, and this has led to concerns about convenience.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-89489

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the following solution aims to provide a gaming machine that can improve convenience .

The present invention provides
A gaming machine capable of awarding a bonus to a player based on the result of a lottery,
A specific performance unit electrically connectable to the gaming machine;
a control means capable of performing predetermined error control;
Equipped with
The specific performance unit is not detachable by the player, but is a specific decorative part that has a plurality of light-emitting units and constitutes a part of the gaming machine,
the control means is capable of executing specific error control corresponding to a specific abnormality when the specific abnormality occurs,
Even if the specific performance unit becomes disconnected while the specific error control is being executed , the specific error control can be continued without generating an error corresponding to the specific performance unit becoming disconnected,
When the specific error control is being executed when the specific performance unit is connected, it is permitted to perform a light emitting operation based on the specific error control using the plurality of light emitting units of the connected specific performance unit,
When the specific performance unit is connected during execution of the specific error control, it is possible to reflect the light-emitting operation based on the specific error control in the plurality of light-emitting units of the specific performance unit at the time the specific performance unit is connected without requiring any operation,
Furthermore, a predetermined movable body;
a game limiting means for limiting the progress of a game based on the count value relating to the awarded game value reaching a specific value;
the predetermined movable body is configured to be able to perform a predetermined power-on operation when power is supplied,
When the power is cut off while the game is in a game restriction state in which game progress is restricted, and then power is supplied, the game restriction state may be canceled or the game restriction state may continue without being canceled depending on the mode of the administrator operation performed at the time of power supply.
Even if the game restriction state continues without being resolved after power is supplied, the predetermined movable body can be operated when power is turned on during the game restriction state.

In this way, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can improve convenience .

1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pachinko machine shown with the upper side tilted forward. This is a perspective view of a pachinko machine as seen from the front. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. This is an oblique view showing the door frame, main body frame, and outer frame that make up the pachinko machine in the open state, each rotated on its hinges. This is an exploded perspective view of a pachinko machine, broken down into its main components and viewed from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of a pachinko machine broken down into its main components and viewed from the rear. This is a front view of the pachinko machine with the door frame removed. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the game board separated from the main body frame in FIG. 8. This is a front view of the pachinko machine with the door frame and game board removed. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the pachinko machine of FIG. 10. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine of FIG. 10 as seen obliquely from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame and main body frame disassembled from each other as seen from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame and main body frame disassembled from the rear. This is a plan cross-sectional view of the outer frame cut at the center in the vertical direction. FIG. This is an exploded oblique view of the main body frame as seen from the front, with the main components disassembled. This is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame disassembled into its main components and viewed from the rear. FIG. 11 is a plan view of the pachinko machine of FIG. 10 cut at the center from top to bottom. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 19. FIG. 9 is a front view of the main part of the front view of FIG. 8, showing the launch unit, the foul unit, etc. in cross section. This is an exploded oblique view of the main frame base unit of the main frame, disassembled into its main components, viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the main frame base unit in the main frame, disassembled into its main components and viewed from behind. 1A is a front view of a main body frame base in a main body frame base unit, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory perspective view showing a state in which multiple main body frame bases are stacked. 1A is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main body frame as seen from the back. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit as seen from the rear. (a) is an oblique view of the launching unit cover of the ball launching unit seen from the rear left, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the ball launching unit showing only the launching unit cover in cross section when viewed from the front. FIG. 10 is a front view of the ball launching unit showing the launch subtraction sensor and firing hammer in dashed lines. (a) is an exploded oblique view of the ball launching unit of the second embodiment disassembled and viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded oblique view of the ball launching unit of the second embodiment disassembled and viewed from the back. (a) is an oblique view of the launching unit cover of the ball launching unit of the second embodiment viewed from the rear left, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the ball launching unit of the second embodiment showing only the launching unit cover in cross section when viewed from the front. 1A is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit as seen from the rear. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of the foul unit with the foul shutter in a closed state, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of the foul unit with the foul shutter in an open state. 10A is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. 10A is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and FIG. 10B is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter in a closed state, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter in an open state. 1A is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit in the main body frame as seen from the back. This is an exploded oblique view of the circulating ball path unit as seen from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from behind. (a) is a plan view showing only the ball serpentine member and ball removal shutter in the circulating ball path unit, and (b) is a front oblique view showing only the ball serpentine member and ball removal shutter in the circulating ball path unit. (a1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball removal shutter and ball serpentine member in the closed position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross section, (a2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the ball removal shutter portion in (a1) from the bottom, (b1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball removal shutter and ball serpentine member in the open position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross section, and (b2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the ball removal shutter portion in (b1) from the bottom. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a front cross section of the circulating ball path unit cut at the location of the out ball sensor, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a front cross section of the circulating ball path unit cut at the location of the safe ball sensor. (a) is an oblique view from the front showing an enlarged view of the lower part of the main body frame together with the outer frame with the serpentine cover of the circulation ball path unit removed, and (b) is an oblique view from the back showing an enlarged view of the lower part of the main body frame together with the outer frame with the serpentine cover of the circulation ball path unit removed. A plan view showing the ball serpentine member, serpentine cover, ball removal shutter, and gauge section in the circulating ball path unit. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the key parts of the rear cross section taken at the out ball sensor when the cover member of the ball elimination mechanism in the circulating ball path unit attached to the main frame is closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) with the cover member open. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray when the ball removal shutter is in the closed position with an iron ball magnetically attached to it; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray when the ball removal shutter is in the open position with an iron ball magnetically attached to it; and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray when the ball removal shutter has been slid from the position in (b) to the closed position with an iron ball magnetically attached to the underside. 10A is a plan view of a spherical serpentine member according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 10B is a front perspective view of the spherical serpentine member according to the second embodiment. (a) is an oblique view showing an enlarged portion of the surplus ball discharge mechanism in the ball serpentine member of the second embodiment, and (b) is a plan view showing an enlarged portion of the surplus ball discharge mechanism in the ball serpentine member of the second embodiment. (a) is a cross-sectional view cut halfway in the front-to-back direction at the location of the surplus ball discharge mechanism in the ball serpentine member of the second embodiment, and (b) is a right-side cross-sectional view cut at a location to the right of the installation portion of the surplus ball discharge mechanism in the ball serpentine member of the second embodiment. (a) is an oblique view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame viewed from the front left, (b) is an oblique view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame viewed from the front right, and (c) is an oblique view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame viewed from the rear. This is an exploded oblique view of the ball lifting unit, showing the state in which the ball grinding motor base and cassette pressing piece have been opened and the ball grinding cassette has been removed. (a) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit without the ball polishing cassette attached, (b) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the ball polishing motor base and cassette pressing piece open and the ball polishing cassette attached, and (c) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the ball polishing cassette attached. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the door frame being closed when the Kuma cassette is not completely locked, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the door frame moves in the closing direction from the state in (a) and the protrusion on the door frame abuts against the tip of the Kuma motor base, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the door frame is closed from the state in (b) and the Kuma cut is locked. This is an enlarged front view showing the main parts with the ball polishing cassette removed from the ball lifting unit attached to the main body frame. (a) is a right side view showing the main parts of the ball grinding mechanism and ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit, (b) is a rear view showing the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism, and (c) is a plan view of the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism as seen from arrow A in (b). FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the lifting spiral shaft and the polishing cloth in the ball lifting unit. (a) is an enlarged view of the lifting inlet sensor and lifting outlet sensor areas and is an oblique view of the ball lifting unit viewed from the rear left, and (b) is a plan cross-sectional view of the ball lifting unit cut at the lifting inlet sensor area. An explanatory diagram showing the front and rear portions of a ball sensor consisting of a photosensor in the ball passage. (a) is an oblique view of the ball polishing cassette of the ball lifting unit as seen from the front left, (b) is an oblique view of the ball polishing cassette as seen from the rear right, and (c) is a right side cross-sectional view of the ball polishing cassette cut in the center in the left-right direction. 1A is a perspective view of the ball throwing unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the ball throwing unit in the main body frame as seen from the back. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the ball throwing unit as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the ball throwing unit as seen from the rear. This is a front cross-sectional view of the ball sending unit cut at the pre-launch sensor location. 10 is a perspective view showing the state in which the main body frame is opened relative to the outer frame, and the rear cover and frame substrate unit are also opened. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of a portion of a frame substrate unit in the outer frame and the main body frame. FIG. This is a reference photograph showing the rear side of the main body frame with the frame substrate unit open. This is an explanatory diagram showing the various passages for game balls on the rear side of the main body frame from the rear. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow of game balls in the main body frame. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a pachinko machine. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a pachinko machine according to a second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart showing a launch permission process. 10 is a flowchart showing a ball possession subtraction process. 10 is a flowchart showing the ball holding subtraction process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart showing the process of adding balls in possession due to foul balls. 10 is a flowchart showing a launch control process. 10 is a flowchart showing the firing control process of a pachinko machine of a second embodiment. 10 is a time chart showing the operation of the launch solenoid and the ball delivery solenoid in the launch sequence. 10 is a time chart showing the operation of the firing solenoid and the false shutter drive solenoid in the forced firing sequence of a pachinko machine of the second embodiment. 74. (a) is a flowchart showing a launch control process different from that of FIG. 74, and (b) is a flowchart showing the balls remaining subtraction process in the case of the launch control process of (a). 10 is a flowchart showing prize ball processing. 10 is a flowchart showing a lifting motor operation process. 10 is a table showing the relationship between the lift inlet sensor and the lift outlet sensor and the operation of the lift motor. 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the launching operation of the game ball and the operation of the ball lifting unit. 10 is a graph showing the operation of the ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit. 10A is a flowchart showing security processing, and FIG. 10B is a flowchart showing security processing of an embodiment different from that of FIG. 10A. 10 is a table showing the relationship between the low circulating ball sensor and the high circulating ball sensor and error notification. 10 is a flowchart showing the settlement process of a pachinko machine according to a second embodiment. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that can detect magnetic lines of force from a magnet, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that cannot detect magnetic lines of force from a magnet, (c) is an explanatory diagram that shows a schematic perspective view of the detection range of a magnetic sensor on a game board, (d) is an explanatory diagram that shows the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor and a magnetic body that makes it unable to detect magnetic lines of force from a magnet, (e) is an explanatory diagram that shows the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor and a magnetic body that makes it possible to detect magnetic lines of force from a magnet, and (f) is an explanatory diagram that shows the magnetic sensor and the holding part separated. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a frame decorative member that can be attached to and detached from a door frame. FIG. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the door frame is opened and the frame decoration member is removed during normal business hours. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state A and then the frame decoration member is attached while the door frame is next opened. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state B and then the frame decoration member is attached while the door frame is next opened. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is detached while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state A. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is detached while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state B. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is attached after it is determined at the judgment timing that the frame decoration member is not connected. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame is open in an error state and reuse confirmation state A, and then the frame decoration member is attached while the door frame is next opened. This is a front view of the game board, showing the transparent center gimmicks and other parts as opaque. FIG. 97 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 96 as seen from the front right. FIG. 97 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 96 as seen from the front left. FIG. 97 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 96 from the rear. 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 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. 1A is a front view of the lottery device in the center role, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the lottery device as seen from above in front. This is a side cross-sectional view of the lottery device in the center role, cut at the center in the left-right direction. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a lottery device in a state where the game ball cannot loop, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a lottery device in a state where the game ball can loop. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in a lottery device. FIG. 2 is a front view of the game board in a normal state. This is a front view of the game board, showing the state in which the rear front lifting decorative unit of the rear front performance unit has been dropped from the standby position to the performance position, from the normal state. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear lifting decoration of the rear performance unit moved from the retracted position to the appearing position from the normal state. This is a front view of the game board, showing the state in which, from the normal state, the rear front rising decoration unit of the rear front performance unit has been dropped from the standby position to the performance position, and the rear rear rising decoration of the rear rear performance unit has been moved from the retracted position to the appearing position. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a pachinko machine. 10 is a time chart showing an example of the amount of balls dispensed calculated in relation to the progress of the stop counter. This is a table showing the conditions for clearing the "amount of balls calculated before the stop state begins" and the "restrictions on play during the stop state." This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and play is restricted. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when restrictions on play are lifted when the power is turned back on after being shut off. This is a specific example of a presentation in which the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment the game ball enters the big prize opening during a jackpot game. This is a specific example of a presentation in which the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the time when a game ball enters a general winning slot while a special pattern is being displayed in a changing state. This is a front view of a game board of a second embodiment, which is different from the game board of Figure 96 in which the transparent center gimmicks etc. are shown opaque. This is an oblique view of the game board of Figure 118 as seen from the front right. FIG. 119 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 118 as seen from the front left. FIG. 119 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 118 from behind. This is an exploded oblique view of the game board of Figure 118, broken down into its main components and viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the game board in Figure 118, broken down into its main components and viewed from the back. 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. (a) is a perspective view of an assembly having a front component, a game panel and a front unit on the game board of Figure 118, as viewed from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of an assembly having a front component, a game panel and a front unit on the game board of Figure 118, as viewed from the back. FIG. 126 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly shown in FIG. 125, broken down into its main components and viewed from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the assembly shown in Figure 125, broken down into its main components and viewed from the rear. 126 is an explanatory diagram showing the assembly shown in FIG. 125 cut in the middle in the vertical direction in a plan view. FIG. This is an exploded oblique view of the front components and the game panel when viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the front components and the game panel, viewed from behind. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged oblique view of the portion of the first information display section of the game board in the previous component, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the portion of the first information display section of the game board, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the first information display section of the game board and the first information sticker base disassembled, and (d) is an oblique view of the first information sticker base to which the first information sticker is affixed, viewed from the front. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged oblique view of the portion of the second information display section of the game board in the previous component, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the portion of the second information display section of the game board, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the second information display section of the game board and the second information sticker base disassembled, and (d) is an oblique view of the second information sticker base to which the second information sticker is affixed, viewed from the front. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged oblique view of the portion of the third information display section of the game board in the previous component, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the portion of the third information display section of the game board, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the third information display section of the game board and the third information sticker base disassembled, and (d) is an oblique view of the third information sticker base with the third information sticker attached, viewed from the front. A front view showing the center device of the game board of Figure 118. This is an oblique view of the center device of the game board of Figure 118 as seen from the front. This is an oblique view of the center device of the game board of Figure 118 from behind. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the upper left corner of the center role device in Figure 134 where the large prize opening is located, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the area in (a) from the front, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the area of the large prize opening in the ball passage of the center role device. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged perspective view of the upper right end of the center reel in Figure 135, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of (a) seen from behind, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic cross section of the part of the center reel that extends up and down in the ball passage. 1A is a front view of an attacca unit provided with a passage decorative portion, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the passage decorative portion of the attacca unit of FIG. 1A. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of an example of a passage decorative portion. 10A to 10C are explanatory diagrams showing examples of the shape of recesses in the passage decorative portion. 10A to 10C are explanatory diagrams showing examples of the shape of the convex portion in the passage decorative portion. 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams showing a passage decorative portion provided with a plurality of convex portions and concave portions of different shapes. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passage decorative part in which a second protrusion of the same shape is provided on a first protrusion, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passage decorative part in which a second protrusion of a different amount of protrusion is provided on a first protrusion, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passage decorative part in which a second protrusion of a different shape is provided on a first protrusion, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passage decorative part in which a second protrusion is also provided on the inclined surface of the first protrusion. (a1) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passage decorative part in which a second convex part of the same shape is provided on a first convex part, (a2) is an explanatory diagram showing (a1) from the front, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a passage decorative part in which a recess of a different shape from (a2) is provided from the front. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passage decorative part that is fitted into the opening of a game panel, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passage decorative part that is different in form from (a). This is a front view of the game board in the normal state, showing the lower left and lower right decorative elements of the rear decorative unit moved from the retracted position to the appeared position. This is a front view of the game board showing the lower left decorative body and the lower right decorative body in the expanded position from the state shown in Figure 147. This is a front view of the game board showing the left rear decorative body of the rear performance unit in the normal state moved from the retracted position to the appearing position. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear right decorative body of the rear performance unit in the normal state moved from the retracted position to the appearing position. This is a front view of the game board in the normal state, showing the left and right decorative elements of the rear-end performance unit having been moved from their retracted positions to their appearing positions. This is a front view of the game board showing the back front decoration of the back front performance unit in the normal state moved from the retracted position to the appearing position. This is a front view of the game board in the normal state, showing the front back decoration of the front back performance unit and the back back left decoration and back back right decoration of the back back performance unit moved from their retracted positions to their appearing positions. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a game board according to a second embodiment. This is an explanatory diagram showing the center device of the first embodiment attached to the game panel, cut halfway in the vertical direction, together with the previous components. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative body of the center accessory disassembled into a front decorative part and a rear decorative part from the front, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative body consisting of a front decorative part and a rear decorative part from the front. This is an explanatory diagram showing the center frame of the center role piece in Figure 155 placed on a stand with its rear end facing downwards. This is an explanatory diagram showing a partial cross section of a center accessory having a center frame to which a decorative body different from that shown in Figure 155 is attached. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the main parts of the center reel of the second embodiment as seen from within the frame, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the center reel of (a) with the rear end facing downwards and the center frame placed on a stand. This is a front view showing a gaming board with a center device of the third embodiment, with the area behind the gaming panel omitted. This is an exploded oblique view of the center gadget and game panel of Figure 160 when viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the center part of Figure 160 as seen from the front. 10A to 10G are explanatory diagrams showing various joining patterns between the first frame and the second frame in the center role piece of the third embodiment. 10A is a front view showing the main part of a game board on which a side unit of a second embodiment is provided, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view of FIG. 10A as seen from the front. (a) is an exploded oblique view showing the side unit disassembled from the game panel on the game board of Figure 164, (b) is an exploded oblique view showing the side unit of (a) disassembled from the front, (c) is an exploded oblique view of the side unit of (b) seen from behind, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the game panel and the side unit in vertical cross section. An explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the side unit and the game panel in Figure 165 in cross section. This is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit of a different type from the side unit in Figure 164 in vertical cross section together with a game panel. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit of a different shape from the side unit shown in Figure 166 in vertical cross section together with the game panel, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the main parts of the LED board and board cover of the side unit in (a). This is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit of a different type from the side unit shown in Figure 168 in vertical cross section together with the game panel. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of a side unit of a different type together with a game panel. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of a side unit of a different type together with a game panel. 10A is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a side unit of a different type together with a game panel, and FIG. 10B is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of FIG. (a) is a front view showing the main parts of a game board on which a side unit etc. of the third embodiment is provided, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the outlet part in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a longitudinal cross section of (b). (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the outlet portion of a game board equipped with a side unit having a finger grip portion of a different shape from that shown in Figure 173, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) in vertical cross section. 10 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a panel plate of a gaming panel in which an opening to which a side unit is attached and an outlet are continuously connected. FIG. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided rearward of the LED board, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided rearward of the LED board in a form different from (a), (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided so as to overlap the LED board, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided around the entire circumference of the unit cover.

[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 7. Fig. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine with the upper side tilted forward. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine as viewed from the front, and Fig. 4 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the door frame, main body frame, and outer frame that make up the pachinko machine, each opened by rotating on a hinge. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko machine as viewed from the front, with each main component disassembled, and Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko machine as viewed from the rear, with each main component disassembled.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment is intended to be installed and used in an island facility in an amusement hall. This pachinko machine 1 is what is known as a sealed-in gaming machine or a controlled gaming machine, in which a large number of gaming balls B (for example, 40 to 60 balls) are sealed in without being discharged to the outside or supplied from the outside, and the gaming balls B circulate internally, so that the player does not come into contact with the gaming balls B. In this pachinko machine 1, the number of balls held by the player is converted into ball holding data and handled as data.

The game ball B enclosed in the pachinko machine 1 has the same diameter (hereinafter referred to as diameter D; diameter D = 11 mm) as the game balls used in conventional pachinko machines, but is made of a non-magnetic stainless steel such as SUS304. This prevents game ball B from rusting even if it is enclosed in the pachinko machine 1 for a long period of time, and distinguishes it from conventional game balls (iron balls SB) that are magnetic.

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, 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.

[2. Outer Frame]
The outer frame 2 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 8 to 16. Figure 8 is a front view of the pachinko machine with the door frame removed. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko machine with the game board separated from the main frame in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a front view of the pachinko machine with the door frame and game board removed, Figure 11 is a rear view of the pachinko machine in Figure 10, and Figure 12 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine in Figure 10 as seen diagonally from the front. Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame and main frame disassembled as seen from the front, and Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame and main frame disassembled as seen from the rear. Figure 15 is a plan cross-sectional view of the outer frame cut at the center in the vertical direction. Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the lower part of the outer frame.

The outer frame 2 is attached to the island equipment of the amusement hall (not shown), and the main frame 4 can be attached to it so that it can be opened and closed forward and can be detached. The outer frame 2 comprises an outer frame body 10 formed as a vertically long frame overall, outer frame assembly fittings 20 to which the outer frame body 10 is attached, an outer frame hinge mechanism 30 that supports the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed, an outer frame locking fitting (not shown) for locking the main frame 4 in a closed position, a fascia board 45 attached to the lower frame body 14 of the outer frame body 10, and a sliding board 46 attached to the top surface of the fascia board 45.

The outer frame body 10 of the outer frame 2 comprises a left frame body 11 and a right frame body 12 that extend vertically and are spaced apart on the left and right, an upper frame body 13 that connects the upper ends of the left frame body 11 and the right frame body 12, and a lower frame body 14 that connects the lower ends of the left frame body 11 and the right frame body 12. The left frame body 11 and the right frame body 12 are each formed from an extruded metal such as an aluminum alloy. The upper frame body 13 and the lower frame body 14 are formed from wood. The left frame body 11, right frame body 12, upper frame body 13, and lower frame body 14 have the same dimensions in the front-to-rear direction.

The outer frame assembly fittings 20 of the outer frame 2 include an upper left fitting that connects the left frame body 11 and the upper frame body 13, an upper right fitting that connects the right frame body 12 and the upper frame body 13, a lower left fitting that connects the left frame body 11 and the lower frame body 14, and a lower right fitting that connects the right frame body 12 and the lower frame body 14. The lower left fitting also serves as the outer frame lower hinge body 35.

The outer frame hinge mechanism 30 has an upper outer frame hinge body 31 located at the upper left end of the outer frame main body 10, and a lower outer frame hinge body 35 located at the lower left end of the outer frame main body 10.

The upper hinge body 31 of the outer frame hinge mechanism 30 is attached to the upper left surface of the upper frame body 13, with its front end protruding forward beyond the outer frame main body 10. The upper hinge body 31 has a bearing groove 31a that penetrates vertically and is open on one side at the portion that protrudes forward beyond the outer frame main body 10, and a locking member 32 that is provided on the underside of the portion that protrudes forward beyond the outer frame main body 10 and can open and close the open portion of the bearing groove 31a.

The bearing groove 31a of the outer frame upper hinge body 31 can support the main frame hinge shaft 511a of the main frame upper hinge body 511 on the main frame 4 by inserting the main frame hinge shaft 511a from the released portion. The locking member 32 of the outer frame upper hinge body 31 is normally positioned in a locked position where the released portion of the bearing groove 31a is closed by the biasing force of an elastic piece (not shown). When the locking member 32 is moved to the released position against the biasing force of the elastic piece, the bearing groove 31a is opened to the side, allowing the main frame hinge shaft 511a to be inserted into the bearing groove 31a from the side, or the main frame hinge shaft 511a inserted in the bearing groove 31a to be removed from the bearing groove 31a.

The lower outer frame hinge body 35 of the outer frame hinge mechanism 30 is attached to the upper left surface of the back panel 45 at a location (upper portion) that overlaps with the lower frame body 14, and its front end protrudes forward beyond the outer frame main body 10. The lower outer frame hinge body 35 has a hinge shaft 35a that protrudes upward at the location that protrudes forward beyond the outer frame main body 10. By inserting the hinge shaft 35a of the lower outer frame hinge body 35 into the outer frame shaft hole (not shown) of the lower main frame hinge body 512 in the main frame 4, the lower main frame hinge body 512 can be rotatably supported.

The outer frame hinge mechanism 30 supports the main frame hinge shaft 511a of the main frame upper hinge body 511 in the main frame 4 in the bearing groove 31a of the outer frame upper hinge body 31, and inserts the hinge shaft 35a of the outer frame lower hinge body 35 into the outer frame shaft hole of the main frame lower hinge body 512, thereby supporting the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed.

Two outer frame locking fittings for the outer frame 2 are provided, spaced apart vertically, on the inner surface (left side) of the right frame body 12. The outer frame locking fittings are each engaged with the outer frame locking claws 784 of the lock unit 780 on the main frame 4, thereby locking the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 in a closed state so that it cannot be opened.

The top panel 45 of the outer frame 2 is attached to the lower frame body 14, with its front end protruding forward beyond the lower frame body 14. The top panel 45 is made of synthetic resin. Two sliding plates 46 are provided on the top surface of the top panel 45, spaced apart on the left and right. The sliding plates 46 are against which the lower end surface of the main frame 4 abuts when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2. The sliding plates 46 are made of a low-friction material, which makes the main frame 4 slide easily, facilitating opening and closing.

To describe the header 45 in more detail, the header 45 comprises a header main body 45a formed to cover the area of the upper end surface of the lower frame 14 forward of the center in the front-to-rear direction and the front end of the lower frame 14, a hinge body cover portion 45b provided near the left end of the upper surface of the header main body 45a, a rear wall portion 45c extending upward in a flat plate shape from the rear end of the hinge body cover portion 45b, and a guide display portion 45d provided on the upper surface of the header main body 45a.

The hinge body cover portion 45b of the curtain board 45 is arranged to cover the underside and sides of the lower outer frame hinge body 35. As a result, when a player or a worker performing maintenance, transport, installation, etc. reaches near the lower outer frame hinge body 35, the hinge body cover portion 45b prevents the hand from directly touching the lower outer frame hinge body 35, preventing injury from the edge of the lower outer frame hinge body 35.

In addition, the hinge body cover portion 45b covers the underside and sides of the lower outer frame hinge body 35, hiding the lower outer frame hinge body 35 from the player and enhancing the sense of unity with the curtain board 45 (curtain board main body 45a) for a better appearance.

The rear wall portion 45c of the top panel 45 is positioned so that when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, the rear surface of the main frame lower hinge body 512 of the main frame 4 (described below) abuts against the front surface of the rear wall portion 45c. As a result, when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, the main frame lower hinge body 512 abuts against the rear wall portion 45c, preventing the main frame 4 from hingedly rotating further rearward.

As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the guide display portion 45d of the back panel 45 is arranged to protrude rearward from the rear edge of the top surface of the back panel main body 45a, extending from the rear of the left sliding plate 46 to the rear of the right sliding plate 46. This guide display portion 45d has an arrow pointing left near the left end and an arrow pointing right near the right end, and the words "! Fixing nails and fixing hardware must not protrude into this area!" are displayed between the two arrows. These arrows and words were engraved by the mold used to injection mold the back panel 45.

The guide display 45d is arranged so as not to come into contact with the main frame 4, which is mounted to the outer frame 2 so as to be able to open and close. This guide display 45d is intended to alert workers when installing the pachinko machine 1 in the island equipment of an amusement hall. Specifically, when fixing the lower frame body 14 of the outer frame 2 to the island equipment with mounting screws (not shown), the guide display 45d alerts workers to ensure that the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude above the guide display 45d within the range indicated on the guide display 45d. By fixing the outer frame 2 with the mounting screws in accordance with this alert, the mounting screws will not come into contact with the main frame 4 when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, and the mounting screws will not interfere with the main frame 4.

This guide display 45d prevents the mounting screws that secure the outer frame 2 from interfering with the main frame 4, preventing damage to the main frame 4 due to interference from the mounting screws. Furthermore, the guide display 45d serves as a guide for the depth to which the mounting screws should be driven to secure the outer frame 2, eliminating the need to open and close the main frame 4 while driving the mounting screws to prevent interference, improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, because it has a guide display 45d, when checking the fixed state of the outer frame 2 to the island equipment, the guide display 45d can be used as a guide to easily visually check the quality of the mounting screws.

In addition, the guide display portion 45d, which indicates the fixing range of the mounting screws, is molded integrally with the panel main body 45a. Therefore, the guide display portion 45d can be provided on the outer frame 2 simply by attaching the panel main body 45a to the lower frame body 14 and assembling it to the outer frame 2, thereby reducing costs compared to providing the guide display portion 45d separately.

In the above embodiment, the guide display portion 45d protruding rearward from the rear end of the panel main body 45a is shown as extending continuously in the left-right direction from the arrow on the left end to the arrow on the right end, but this is not limited to this, and it is also possible for only the portions indicated by the left and right arrows to protrude rearward from the rear end of the panel main body 45a.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the guide display portion 45d is engraved during injection molding of the panel 45, but this is not limited to this, and the guide display portion 45d may be provided by attaching a sticker, printing, or painting.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the guide display 45d provided on the header panel 45, this is not limited to this and the display may also be provided on the lower frame 14, the sliding plate 46, etc. When the guide display 45d is provided on the lower frame 14, it may be provided by, for example, attaching a sticker, stamping with ink, or branding. When the guide display 45d is provided on the sliding plate 46, it may be provided by, for example, making a recessed mark on the sliding plate 46.

3. Door Frame
The door frame 3 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 5 to 7. The door frame 3 is formed in a rectangular shape extending vertically in a front view and is approximately the same size as the interior of the outer frame 2. The door frame 3 is attached to the interior of the outer frame 2 via the main frame 4 so as to be able to open and close from the front side. The door frame 3 is provided with a door frame main body 100 that is openable and closable relative to the main frame 4 and has a game window 101 through which, when closed, a game area 5a of a game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 is visible to the front, a transparent glass 120 that is detachably attached to the rear side of the door frame main body 100 and closes the game window 101, a ball count display unit 140 that displays the number of balls the player has, a handle 160 that the player operates to shoot game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, a cylindrical handle cover 170 that surrounds the outer periphery of the handle 160, and a counting button switch 180 that can be operated by the player.

The door frame 3 also includes a door frame panel 190 that extends from the bottom edge of the front of the door frame main body 100 across the entire width in the left-right direction at a fixed height, a shelf unit 200 that protrudes forward in a section on the front of the door frame main body 100 between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190, and an effect operation unit 250 that is located in the left-right center of the shelf unit 200 and can be operated by the player. The ball count display unit 140 and count button switch 180 are located on the top surface of the shelf unit 200 (top surface of the shelf portion 201).

Furthermore, the door frame 3 includes a door frame top unit 300 located above the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, a door frame left side unit 320 located to the left of the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, and a door frame right side unit 340 located to the right of the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100.

The door frame main body 100 has a door frame hinge mechanism 110 for opening and closing the door frame 4. The door frame hinge mechanism 110 has an upper door frame hinge body 111 (see Figure 6) provided at the upper left end of the door frame main body 100, and a lower door frame hinge body 112 provided at the lower left end of the door frame main body 100. The upper door frame hinge body 111 has an upper door frame hinge shaft 111a that protrudes upward. The door frame hinge mechanism 110 supports the door frame 3 so that it can be opened and closed relative to the main frame 4 by inserting the upper door frame hinge shaft 111a of the upper door frame hinge body 111 from below into the upper door frame shaft hole 511b of the upper main frame hinge body 511 (described later), and inserting the lower door frame hinge shaft 112a of the lower door frame hinge body 112 from above into the lower door frame shaft hole 512b of the lower main frame hinge body 512 (described later).

As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the door frame body 100 also has a protrusion 102 that protrudes rearward from near the lower end of its rear surface. When the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, the protrusion 102's underside abuts against the support step 501q of the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4 (described below), thereby lifting the door frame 3 to a certain extent. The protrusion 102 allows the door frame 3 to be lifted by closing it against the main frame 4, distributing the weight of the door frame 3 between the protrusion 102 and the lower-frame hinge body 112. This prevents excessive load from being continuously applied to the hinges (lower-frame hinge body 112 and lower-frame hinge body 35) that enable the door frame 3 to be opened and closed, making the hinges less likely to warp. Even if the hinges warp, the protrusion 102 can lift the door frame 3, allowing the door frame 3 to be closed in the correct position against the main frame 4. Although not shown, the underside of the protrusion 102 has multiple ribs extending in the front-to-rear direction, which increase strength and rigidity.

The protrusion 102 has a guide surface 102a that is inclined so that it moves leftward as it moves rearward. Details will be described later, but when the door frame 3 is attempted to be closed against the main frame 4 while the ball lifting unit 650's ball motor base 686 is in a position other than the locked position, the guide surface 102a of the protrusion 102 comes into contact with the front end of the ball motor base 686, allowing the ball motor base 686 to move (rotate) to the locked position.

The ball count display unit 140 is composed of a 6-digit, 7-segment LED. The ball count display unit 140 is located to the right of the center in the left-right direction on the top surface of the shelf unit 200, to the left of the count button switch 180.

The handle 160 is located in the lower right corner of the front of the door frame main body 100, i.e., near the right edge between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190 on the front of the door frame main body 100. The handle 160 is attached so that the player can rotate it, with its rotation axis facing forward and backward. The handle 160 is shaped like an automobile steering wheel, and has a central hub portion 160a, multiple spokes 160b (three in this case) extending outward from the hub portion 160a, and an annular ring portion 160c connecting the tips of the spokes 160b.

The ring portion 160c of the handle 160 is located slightly forward from the front end of the cylindrical handle cover 170, and is positioned so that the player cannot grip the ring portion 160c. Therefore, when a player rotates the handle 160, they will mainly do so while gripping the hub portion 160a with their fingers passing through the spokes 160b. In this state, the player's fingers are inserted into the cylindrical handle cover 170.

The handle 160 is equipped with a firing stop switch 161 that can be pressed by the player, a handle touch sensor 162 that detects changes in the electrostatic capacitance of the handle 160, and a handle rotation sensor 163 that detects the rotation angle of the handle 160 (see Figure 68).

When the player presses the launch stop switch 161, the frame control board 740 stops the operation of the launch solenoid 553. Therefore, if the player presses the launch stop switch 161 while rotating the handle 160, the launch of the game ball B can be temporarily stopped without having to return the rotation of the handle 160. If the player then releases the pressing of the launch stop switch 161 while continuing to rotate the handle 160, the game ball B can again be shot into the game area 5a with the same impact strength (impact strength corresponding to the rotation of the handle 160) as before the launch stop switch 161 was pressed.

The handle touch sensor 162 detects static electricity acting on the handle 160. When the player touches the handle 160, it detects the static electricity acting from the player and detects the player's contact (touch) with the handle 160. If the handle 160 is rotated while the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact, the detection is accepted by the handle rotation sensor 163, and the drive of the launch solenoid is controlled with a strength corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, allowing the game ball B to be shot into the machine.

Therefore, even if a player attempts to rotate the handle 160 in some way to launch game ball B into the game area 5a without touching it, the handle touch sensor 162 does not detect the player's contact, so the launch solenoid 553 is not activated and game ball B cannot be launched. This prevents players from rotating the handle 160 in a way that is different from the intended way to play, and reduces the burden on the game hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

The handle rotation sensor 163 is a variable resistor, and when the handle 160 is rotated, the detection axis rotates and the internal resistance changes according to the rotation angle of the detection axis. Therefore, when the handle 160 is rotated to change the internal resistance of the handle rotation sensor 163, the driving force of the launch solenoid 553 in the ball launch unit 550 (described below) changes according to that internal resistance, allowing the game ball B to be shot into the game area 5a with a strength according to the rotation angle of the handle 160.

The handle cover 170 extends rearward from the rear of the annular portion of the handle 160 so that its diameter widens, and is formed in a conical cylindrical shape. Openings 171 that communicate with the interior are provided on the right and bottom peripheral surfaces of the outer periphery of the handle cover 170. These openings 171 allow debris, liquid, etc. to be expelled downward even if they get inside the handle cover 170.

The counting button switch 180 is located on the top surface of the shelf unit 200, to the right of the center in the left-right direction. The counting button switch 180 will be described in detail below, but by pressing it while holding balls, the balls can be sent to the game ball lending device 8 for settlement.

The door frame panel 190 extends left and right at a fixed height, with a length equal to the left-right width of the door frame body 100, and is attached to the lower end of the front surface of the door frame body 100. The door frame panel 190 penetrates from front to back at the center left and right, and has a duct grill 191 located in front of the bass reflex duct 501e of the main body frame 4 (described below). The duct grill 191 extends in an elongated shape left and right, and is separated by multiple vertical lattices. This duct grill 191, described in detail below, is used to release air vibrations (wind) caused by the driving of the main body frame speaker 503 from the bass reflex duct 501e of the main body frame 4 forward.

The shelf unit 200 is located on the front of the door frame main body 100, between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190. A spherical effect operation unit 250 is located in the left-right center of the shelf unit 200. The shelf unit 200 has a shelf portion 201 that bulges forward in a shelf-like shape from the top edge along the bottom edge of the game window 101, a speaker grill 203 located below the shelf portion 201 and to the right of the effect operation unit 250, a setting adjustment button 204 consisting of four push buttons arranged front to back and left to right on the top surface of the shelf portion 201, and a pair of protrusions 205 arranged spaced apart on the left and right. Of the four push buttons arranged front to back and left to right on the setting adjustment button 204, the front and rear push buttons can be operated to adjust the volume, and the left and right push buttons can be operated to adjust the light intensity.

The top surface of the shelf section 201 is formed to be smooth. On the top surface of the shelf section 201, to the right of the center in the left-right direction, a count button switch 180 is provided near the right end, and a ball count display unit 140 is provided to the left of the count button switch 180. Also, to the right of the center in the left-right direction, a setting adjustment button 204 is provided, and protrusions 205 are provided on both the left and right sides near the rear end of the setting adjustment button 204.

The pair of protrusions 205 protrude higher than the setting adjustment button 204 and have rounded upper ends. The pair of protrusions 205 are arranged approximately parallel to the rear edge of the shelf portion 201. The pair of protrusions 205 can be used, for example, to prop up a smartphone on the top surface of the shelf portion 201, which is convenient.

The speaker grill 203 is located in front of the main frame speaker 503 in the main frame 4 (described below) and is made of punched metal with multiple through-holes. The speaker grill 203 is symmetrical to and the same size as the handle 160 across the center of the door frame 3, and is formed in a shape that bulges forward like the handle cover 170.

The performance operation unit 250 is located in the left-right center of the shelf unit 200, with its front end protruding forward from the shelf unit 200 and its top end protruding upward from the shelf unit 200. The performance operation unit 250 is formed in a spherical shape as a whole. The performance operation unit 250 has a circular first performance button 251 located near the center on its top surface, and an annular second performance button 252 located around the first performance button 251. While detailed illustrations are omitted, the first performance button 251 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the second performance button 252 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The first performance button 251 and the second performance button 252 are arranged on the same axis, and are inclined so that the axis moves further forward as it points upward.

The first effect button 251 and the second effect button 252 are designed to move upwards (pop up) in their entirety in response to player participation effects. The first effect button 251 can be pressed at all times, while the second effect button 252 can only be pressed when it pops up.

Although not shown in the figure, a vibrator (vibration device) is provided inside the first effect button 251.

The door frame top unit 300 is located above the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, with both left and right ends sandwiched between the upper end portions of the left door frame side unit 320 and the right door frame side unit 340. The door frame top unit 300 protrudes forward like a canopy. The door frame top unit 300 is equipped with a semi-tubular, translucent door frame top decorative body 301 that extends left and right along its front edge. The door frame top decorative body 301 is curved in the front-to-rear direction so that the center in the left-to-right direction is located furthest forward in a plan view.

Although not shown, the door frame top unit 300 comprises a door frame top decorative board on which multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate and decorate the door frame top decorative body 301; a pair of door frame top speakers 303 spaced apart on the left and right that output sounds such as voice, music, and sound effects; and a pair of door frame top side speakers 304 located on the left and right outside the pair of door frame top speakers 303. The pair of door frame top speakers 303 are full-range speakers (or mid-range speakers), and the pair of door frame top side speakers 304 are tweeters (high-frequency speakers).

The door frame left side unit 320 is located on the front of the door frame main body 100 to the left of the game window 101, and extends vertically from near the top of the door frame main body 100 to near the speaker grill 203 below the shelf portion 201 of the shelf unit 200. The door frame left side unit 320 extends its entire length in the vertical direction and is equipped with a semi-tubular, translucent door frame left side decorative body 321. The door frame left side decorative body 321 is curved to the right near its bottom end.

The door frame left side unit 320, although not shown, has a door frame left side decorative board on which multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate and decorate the door frame left side decorative body 321.

The door frame right side unit 340 is located on the front of the door frame main body 100 to the right of the play window 101, and extends vertically from near the top of the door frame main body 100 to the handle cover 170 below the shelf portion 201 of the shelf unit 200. The door frame right side unit 340 protrudes further forward than the door frame left side unit 320, and is formed in the shape of a vertically long partition.

The right-side door frame unit 340 comprises a semi-tubular, translucent right-side door frame decorative body 341 that extends vertically along the front edge; a translucent left-side right-side door frame decorative body (not shown) that is located behind the right-side door frame decorative body 341 and forms the left side; a translucent right-side right-side door frame decorative body (not shown) that is located behind the right-side door frame decorative body 341 and forms the right side; and a right-side door frame decorative board (not shown) that is mounted with multiple LEDs for illuminating the right-side door frame decorative body 341, the left-side right-side door frame decorative body, and the right-side right-side door frame decorative body. The right-side door frame decorative body 341 is curved to the left near its bottom end.

The door frame right side unit 340 also has an opening 342 near its bottom end that penetrates from front to back and allows the keyhole 782 of the lock unit 780 to face forward.

[3-1. Counting button switch]
The counting button switch 180 is located on the top surface of the shelf unit 200, to the right of the center in the left-right direction. By pressing the counting button switch 180 when there are balls in hand (number of balls in hand > 0), the balls can be sent to the game ball lending device 8 for settlement. As will be described in detail later, the counting button switch 180 can send balls one by one or a predetermined number (for example, 250 balls) depending on the time it is pressed. The number of balls sent to the game ball lending device 8 is sent to the management server 9 via the communication network, and an IC card storing the number of balls in hand is ejected from the game ball lending device 8.

Here, the game ball etc. lending device 8 is installed adjacent to the pachinko machine 1 in the island equipment of the gaming hall (also referred to as a sand). Although not shown in detail, the game ball etc. lending device 8 is equipped with an insertion slot for inserting cash or prepaid cards, a card slot for inserting/removing IC cards, a ball lending button switch 8a, a return button switch, a display unit that displays the inserted amount and the number of counted balls, etc. When cash etc. is inserted into the insertion slot and the ball lending button switch 8a is pressed, the game ball etc. lending device 8 lends out a predetermined number of game balls B within the amount inserted. In this embodiment, the number of loaned game balls B is sent as digital data to the frame control board and also to the management server 9 via a communications network for management.

To explain the counting button switch 180 in more detail, when a player has balls in their possession and presses the counting button switch 180 for a short time (for example, pressing it for less than 500 ms), one game ball B will be counted from the balls in their possession. When the counting button switch 180 is pressed for a long time (for example, pressing it for 500 ms or more), 250 game balls B will be counted at the count notification timing every predetermined time (for example, 300 ms) while the counting button switch 180 is pressed until the number of balls in their possession falls below 250. If the number of balls in their possession falls below 250 while the counting button switch 180 is pressed for a long time (for example, pressing it for 500 ms or more), one game ball B will be counted. Furthermore, when the counting button switch 180 is pressed for a long time (for example, pressing it for 500 ms or more), the counting button switch 180 may be configured to unconditionally count all of the balls in their possession, even if the counting button switch 180 is not continuously pressed.

When counting is performed by pressing the counting button switch 180, the number of balls held displayed on the ball count display unit 140 is subtracted and displayed, and the counted number of balls is displayed on a display unit (not shown) of the game ball lending device 8.

[4. Main body frame]
The main body frame 4 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 8 to 14, 17 to 21, etc. Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame broken down into its main components as seen from the front, and Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame broken down into its main components as seen from the back. Figure 19 is a plan view of the pachinko machine of Figure 10 cut at the center from top to bottom. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 19. Figure 21 is a front view of the main parts of the front view of Figure 8, showing the firing unit, foul unit, etc. in cross section.

The main frame 4 is formed in a box-like shape with an open front, and the game board 5 is housed inside in a removable manner from the front. The main frame 4 is openably attached to a frame-shaped outer frame 2 attached to the island equipment of 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 supported on the outer frame 2 so as to be openable and closable; a ball launching unit 550 for shooting game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5; a foul unit 570 for collecting game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 but not shot into the game area 5a; a circulating ball path unit 600 for sending game balls B discharged from the game board 5 and game balls B collected by the foul unit 570 to the ball launching unit 550; a ball lifting unit 650 for moving game balls B upward from the downstream end of the circulating ball path unit 600; and a ball sending unit 700 for sending game balls B lifted by the ball lifting unit 650 one by one to the ball launching unit 550.

The main frame 4 also includes a ball receiving tray 720 for receiving game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 613p of the circulation ball path unit 600, a frame base unit 730 having a frame control board 740 that controls the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, etc., and a lock unit 780 that locks the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, and the door frame 3 and the main frame 4.

[4-1. Main frame base unit]
The main body frame base unit 500 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 22 to 24. Figure 22 is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame base unit in the main body frame, broken down into its main components, as viewed from the front, and Figure 23 is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame base unit in the main body frame, broken down into its main components, as viewed from the rear. Figure 24(a) is a front view of the main body frame base in the main body frame base unit, and (b) is an explanatory perspective view showing multiple main body frame bases stacked on top of each other.

The main frame base unit 500 is supported on the outer frame 2 so that it can open and close forward, and is also capable of supporting the door frame 3 so that it can open and close forward. Attached to the main frame base unit 500 are a ball launching unit 550, a foul unit 570, a circulating ball path unit 600, a ball lifting unit 650, a ball sending unit 700, a ball receiving tray 720, a frame base unit 730, a lock unit 780, and the like.

The main frame base unit 500 is equipped with a main frame base 501 that is formed in a vertically elongated rectangular shape and has a game board insertion section 502 that penetrates from front to back and into which the game board 5 is inserted from the front, and a base wall section 501b that is provided below the game board insertion section 502, and a side reinforcing plate 509 that reinforces the left side of the main frame base 501.

The main frame base unit 500 also includes a main frame speaker 503 attached to the rear side of the base wall 501b of the main frame base 501, a box-shaped main frame speaker box 504 attached to the base wall 501b so as to cover the main frame speaker 503 from the rear and open at the front, and a rear cover 505 that allows the game board insertion section 502 of the main frame base 501 to be opened and closed from the rear.

Furthermore, the main frame base unit 500 includes a game board locking member 506 attached to the main frame base 501, a door opening switch 507 and a frame opening switch 508 attached to the main frame base 501, and a main frame hinge mechanism 510 attached to the main frame base 501.

The main body frame base 501 has a vertically elongated rectangular shape when viewed from the front. It is made of opaque black synthetic resin. The main body frame base 501 includes a frame-shaped frame body 501a with no left side; a game board insertion section 502 that penetrates the frame body 501a from near the top end downward for approximately two-thirds of the total height; a base wall section 501b located below the game board insertion section 502; a game board restriction section 501c that protrudes upward (into the game board insertion section 502) near the center in the left-right direction on the upper end surface of the base wall section 501b; a main body frame speaker port 501d that penetrates the base wall section 501b from front to back near the left end, through which the main body frame speaker 503 faces forward; and a horizontally elongated bass reflex duct 501e that penetrates the base wall section 501b from front to back near the lower end in the left-right center.

The main frame base 501 also has a tray insertion recess 501f recessed from the front side to the rear above the bass reflex duct 501e in the base wall 501b, into which the ball receiving tray 720 is inserted, and a ball storage passage insertion opening 501g that penetrates from front to back above the tray insertion recess 501f in the base wall 501b, into which the ball serpentine member 613 and serpentine cover 614 of the circulating ball passage unit 600 are inserted.

The main frame base 501 also includes a foul unit mounting portion 501h and a ball launching unit mounting portion 501i, which are arranged side by side above the ball storage passage insertion port 501g on the front surface of the base wall portion 501b, a ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j located to the right of the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i on the base wall portion 501b, a ball sending unit mounting portion 501k located behind the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b, a circulating ball path unit mounting portion 501l located on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b, and a cylinder insertion port 501m that penetrates from front to back near the upper right corner of the base wall portion 501b and through which the lock cylinder 781 of the lock unit 780 is inserted.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 has locking claws 501n that protrude from the left and right inner walls of the tray insertion recess 501f and engage with the elastic claws 721 of the ball receiving tray 720 inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f to restrict the forward movement of the ball receiving tray 720. The main frame base 501 also has a vertically elongated opening 501o that penetrates from front to back at the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j.

The main frame base 501 also includes a top cover 502a extending rearward from the top end of the game board insertion portion 502, a rear cover 502b extending downward in a short, flat plate shape from the rear edge of the top cover 502a, a left side cover 502c extending rearward from the left end of the game board insertion portion 502 and having its upper end connected to the top cover 502a, a right side cover 502d extending rearward from the right end of the game board insertion portion 502 and having its upper end connected to the top cover 502a, and a bottom cover 502e extending rearward from the bottom end of the game board insertion portion 502.

The main body frame base 501 also has a plurality of ventilation holes 502f penetrating the rear cover 502b, a plurality of upper surface recesses 502g recessed downwardly provided in the upper cover 502a, a plurality of lower surface recesses 502h recessed downwardly provided in the lower cover 502e, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 502i provided on the lower surface of the upper cover 502a and the upper surface of the lower cover 502e, respectively.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 is provided with a canopy portion 501p located above the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i to block light from entering the ball launching unit 550 from above. This canopy portion 501p can block external light from reaching the launch subtraction sensor 554, which is a photosensor of the ball launching unit 550 mounted on the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i, thereby preventing false detection by the launch subtraction sensor 554.

The main frame base 501 also includes a support step 501q located between the tray insertion recess 501f and the opening 501o, slightly above the bottom of the tray insertion recess 501f, and a pair of support protrusions 501r located vertically spaced apart near the right end of the rear surface of the base wall 501b and protruding rearward. The support step 501q has an upward-facing surface (top surface). When the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, the protrusion 102 of the door frame 3 abuts against the support step 501q, allowing the door frame 3 to be lifted to some extent and supporting part of the weight of the door frame 3. A locking hole is provided on the rear end surface of the support protrusion 501r to lock the Nylatch 774 of the frame base unit 730.

The game board 5 is removably inserted from the front into the game board insertion portion 502 of the main body frame base 501. The area of the game board insertion portion 502 behind the base wall portion 501b is surrounded by a top cover 502a, a left side cover 502c, a right side cover 502d, and a bottom cover 502e.

The game board 5 is placed on the upper surface of the base wall 501b. A door opening switch 507, a ball launching unit 550, a foul unit 570, and a ball receiving tray 720 are attached to the front surface of the base wall 501b. Additionally, a main frame speaker 503, a main frame speaker box 504, a frame opening switch 508, a circulating ball path unit 600, a ball lifting unit 650, and a ball sending unit 700 are attached to the rear surface of the base wall 501b.

The game board restricting portion 501c restricts the left-right and rearward movement of the game board 5 when the game board 5 is inserted into the game board insertion portion 502. As shown in the figure, the main body frame speaker port 501d is formed in a lattice pattern and is positioned behind the speaker grill 203 of the door frame 3 when the door frame 3 is closed against the main body frame 4. A main body frame speaker 503 is attached to the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b so as to close the main body frame speaker port 501d from behind.

The bass reflex duct 501e is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape that is long from side to side. The bass reflex duct 501e, which will be described in detail later, is connected to the enclosure 504a of the main frame speaker 503, which is composed of the base wall portion 501b and the main frame speaker box 504. It inverts the phase of the sound output rearward from the main frame speaker 503 and emits it forward. In this embodiment, the cylindrical bass reflex duct 501e resonates and amplifies the low-frequency range of the sound output from the main frame speaker 503, producing a deeper bass sound. The bass reflex duct 501e is positioned behind the duct grill 191 of the door frame 3 when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4.

The tray insertion recess 501f can removably support the ball receiving tray 720 from the front. The bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f is inclined so that the front end is lower (see Figure 20). This allows game balls B to be ejected forward even if they spill into the tray insertion recess 501f when the ball receiving tray 720 is not inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f. Furthermore, because the bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f is inclined so that the front end is lower, it is possible to easily slide the placed ball receiving tray 720 forward.

The ball storage passage insertion port 501g is located so that it penetrates and protrudes forward through the ball serpentine member 613 and the front portion of the serpentine cover 614 of the circulating ball passage unit 600 attached to the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b. The foul unit mounting portion 501h is located near the top end of the base wall portion 501b, to the right of the main frame speaker port 501d. The ball launching unit mounting portion 501i is located to the right of the foul unit mounting portion 501h. The ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j is located between the top and bottom ends of the base wall portion 501b.

The ball-throwing unit mounting portion 501k is located on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b so that the top surface of the ball-throwing unit 700 faces upward (into the game board insertion portion 502), allowing the ball-throwing unit 700 to be attached and detached from above. When the ball-throwing unit 700 is attached to the ball-throwing unit mounting portion 501k, the elastic claw 709b of the ball-throwing unit 700 passes through the locking hole in the base wall portion 501b to the right of the ball launching unit 550 and faces forward. In this state, the elastic claw 709b is pressed backward to elastically deform it, and the knob portion 709a located on the top surface of the ball-throwing unit 700 is grasped and pulled up, allowing the ball-throwing unit 700 to be removed upward.

The circulating ball path unit mounting portion 501l is located in the center of the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b in the left-right direction, above the box extension portion 504c of the main frame speaker box 504 (described below). The cylinder insertion port 501m is located near the top end of the base wall portion 501b, to the right of the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j.

When the gaming board 5 is attached to the gaming board insertion portion 502, the top cover 502a extends rearward beyond the gaming board 5. As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the top cover 502a has two top recesses 502g spaced apart on the left and right, which eliminate some of the reinforcing ribs on the top cover 502a. This configuration allows the top cover 502a to be positioned higher by the amount of the reinforcing ribs than when multiple reinforcing ribs are lined up in the left-right direction on the top surface of the top cover, thereby ensuring the internal volume of the gaming board insertion portion 502. Furthermore, if multiple reinforcing ribs were provided on the top surface of the top cover, some would be left unwiped during cleaning, which would detract from the aesthetic appearance. However, in this embodiment, the aesthetic appearance can be maintained by eliminating the reinforcing ribs from the top surface of the top cover 502a.

The top surface of the top cover 502a and the bottom surfaces of the two top recesses 502g are inclined relative to the horizontal plane, gradually decreasing in angle toward the rear by approximately 2 degrees. Furthermore, pachinko machines 1 are typically installed with a backward tilt, typically about 0.75 degrees, resulting in a total downward tilt of approximately 2.75 degrees. Furthermore, the width of the two top recesses 502g from side to side increases as they extend rearward.

By creating such a gentle slope, game balls B falling from above the pachinko machine 1 flow down the upper surface of the top cover 502a or the top recess 502g, and fall into a game ball B collection path in the island equipment located below the pachinko machine 1, where they are collected. Furthermore, falling objects that are not spherical, such as metal powder or screws, will accumulate on the upper surface of the top cover 502a or the top recess 502g. To achieve this effect, it is desirable for the top surface of the top cover 502a to be inclined at no more than 15 degrees from the horizontal.

The top cover 502a is formed in a flat plate shape, and therefore the underside (rear surface) of the two top recesses 502g that are recessed from above in the top cover 502a protrudes downward from the underside of the top cover 502a (see Figure 24(b)). In other words, the top recesses 502g are in the form of convex portions that protrude downward from the underside of the top cover 502a. The end points, i.e., the front walls, of the two top recesses 502g are behind the abutment surface 502j, which contacts the rear surface of the top edge of the gaming board 5 for positioning.

In other words, the back side (lower surface) of the top cover 502a has the back sides of two top recesses 502g. The tips (front ends) of the back sides of the two top recesses 502g form abutment surfaces 502j, which contact the rear surface of the top edge of the gaming board 5 to position the gaming board 5.

The back side (bottom side) of the top cover 502a has four of the multiple reinforcing ribs 502i, which, together with the top surface recesses 502g, reinforce the top cover 502a. By providing the reinforcing ribs 502i on the inside bottom surface of the top cover 502a rather than on the top surface, it is possible to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the top surface (outer surface) of the top cover 502a.

As shown in Figure 23, multiple ribs 502k are provided at the front end of the top surface of the top cover 502a. However, the upper parts of these ribs 502k are covered by the frame body 501a at the edge of the main frame base 501, and further covered above by the outer frame 2, so metal powder and the like will not fall from above and will not affect the aesthetic appearance.

Furthermore, although not shown in the figures, the upper surface of the top cover 502a and the top recess 502g do not have any gates for feeding molten resin during injection molding. This is to prevent the unevenness of the gates from interfering with the flow of game balls B down the top surface of the top cover 502a and the top recess 502g.

Similarly, care has been taken to ensure that no marks from the ejector pins used to remove the injection-molded main frame base 501 from the mold are left on the top surface of the top cover 502a or the top recess 502g. Normally, ejector pin marks are unlikely to hinder the flow of game balls B if burrs are properly removed, but they can spoil the aesthetic appearance when cleaning the top surface of the top cover 502a or the top recess 502g where metal powder or the like has accumulated. For this reason, care has been taken to ensure that no marks from the ejector pins are left.

The rear cover 502b of the main body frame base 501 is connected at both the left and right ends to the left side cover 502c and right side cover 502d, respectively. This rear cover 502b has multiple vertically elongated slit-shaped ventilation holes 502f arranged in a row in the left-right direction.

The left side cover 502c on the main body frame base 501 has the same depth in the front-to-rear direction as the top cover 502a. In a plan view, the left side cover 502c is inclined so that it moves to the right as it moves rearward. Two cover locking portions 502l are provided at the rear end of the left side cover 502c, spaced apart vertically, for locking the rear cover 505.

The right side cover 502d of the main body frame base 501 is inclined to the left as it moves rearward in a plan view. The right side cover 502d has a section below the rear cover 502b cut out from the rear end toward the front, with the rear end of this section positioned further forward than the rear end of the top cover 502a. In other words, the depth of the right side cover 502d below the rear cover 502b is shorter. At the rear end of the right side cover 502d, below the rear cover 502b, multiple cover pivot supports 502m are provided at intervals in the vertical direction to support the rear cover 505 so that it can rotate on a hinge.

The bottom cover 502e of the main frame base 501 extends rearward from a position one step higher than the bottom end of the game board insertion section 502 (the top surface of the base wall section 501b). The bottom cover 502e is arranged except for the section above the circulation ball path unit mounting section 501l, and in the section to the left of the circulation ball path unit mounting section 501l, it extends rearward to the same position as the rear end of the left side cover 502c, and in the section to the right of the circulation ball path unit mounting section 501l, it extends rearward to the same position as the rear end of the section of the right side cover 502d that has a shorter depth. This bottom cover 502e is sloped so that it becomes higher as it moves rearward.

The lower recess 502h of the main body frame base 501 is recessed downward from the upper surface of the lower cover 502e. The lower recess 502h is open toward the front and is formed so that its width narrows toward the rear. The bottom surface of the lower recess 502h, like the lower cover 502e, is inclined so that it becomes higher toward the rear. Because the lower cover 502e is formed in a flat plate shape, the lower surface (back surface) of the lower recess 502h, which is recessed from above in the lower cover 502e, protrudes downward from the lower surface of the lower cover 502e (see Figure 24(b)). In other words, the lower recess 502h has the form of a convex portion protruding downward on the underside of the lower cover 502e. A reinforcing rib 502i is provided inside the lower recess 502h.

Multiple reinforcing ribs 502i are provided on the underside of the top cover 502a and on the bottom surface of the bottom recess 502h. Four reinforcing ribs 502i are provided on the top cover 502a, with two extending forward from each of the two abutment surfaces 502j and the remaining two provided on both the left and right outer sides of the two top recesses 502g. The rear ends of the reinforcing ribs 502i provided on both the left and right outer sides of the top recess 502g are connected to the rear cover 502b and extend forward shorter than the top recess 502g.

Of the multiple reinforcing ribs 502i, four—two on both the left and right outer sides of the top recess 502g on the top cover 502a, and two each on the two bottom recesses 502h—are designed to function as ribs. Specifically, the main body frame base 501 of this embodiment is designed to be placed horizontally without rattle when placed front-side down on a workbench or similar. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 24(b), the main body frame bases 501 are designed to be stacked for storage. In this case, the four reinforcing ribs 502i abut against each other, preventing the stacked main body frame bases 501 from interlocking with each other. This reduces the time required for removal due to interlocking of parts (main body frame bases 501), improving the efficiency of assembly work. Furthermore, because the main body frame bases 501 can be stacked, it is possible to increase the number of packages and reduce the size of the packaging box.

In the main body frame base 501 of this embodiment, the top cover 502a of the main body frame base 501, which protects the game board 5 stored in the main body frame 4 from above, has a gently sloping top surface that slopes downward toward the rear, making it possible to properly handle game balls B, metal powder, screws, etc. that fall from above the pachinko machine 1. Specifically, spherical game balls B can be made to flow down the top surface of the top cover 502a and fall below the pachinko machine 1, so the game balls B are collected as they are and do not cause any problems. Furthermore, non-spherical metal powder, screws, etc. can be retained on the top cover 502a without flowing down, so they also do not cause any problems.

Furthermore, no ventilation holes 502f are provided on the top surface of this top cover 502a. This prevents metal powder, screws, etc. from entering through the ventilation holes 502f and does not adversely affect the electrical components of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the top surface of the top cover 502a, which is molded using an injection molding machine, does not have a gate for injecting molten resin into the mold during molding. As a result, no irregularities caused by the gate are created on the top surface of the top cover 502a, and the flow of the game ball B is not impeded.

Similarly, care has been taken to avoid leaving ejector pin marks when the injection-molded main frame base 501 is removed from the mold. Normally, ejector pin marks are unlikely to hinder the flow of game balls B if the burrs are properly removed, but when cleaning the top surface of the top cover 502a where metal powder or the like has accumulated, the ejector pin marks may remain and spoil the aesthetic appearance. For this reason, by not leaving ejector pin marks, the aesthetic appearance can be easily restored by cleaning.

In addition, this top cover 502a is molded integrally with the main frame base 501. Molding it in this manner reduces assembly labor and improves the strength of the entire main frame base unit 500 (game board housing frame).

The top surface of the top cover 502a not only protects the game board 5 housed inside, but also has a positioning portion (abutment surface 502j) on the inside that contacts the game board 5 to position it. This fixes the positional relationship between the game board 5 and the top cover 502a, thereby fulfilling the purpose of the game board housing frame (main frame 4) of protecting the game board 5.

Also, as shown in Figure 18, etc., no reinforcing ribs are provided on the top surface of the top cover 502a, which means that ribs do not make cleaning difficult and maintenance is easier. However, if there are other components (e.g., frame 501a, outer frame 2, etc.) covering the top surface of the top cover 502a, ribs may be provided in areas where foreign objects will not fall.

The side reinforcing plate 509 has a U-shape in plan view that opens to the right, and is attached to the main frame base 501 to replace the open left side of the frame body 501a. The side reinforcing plate 509 is made from an extruded metal such as an aluminum alloy. The side reinforcing plate 509 has two left positioning members 509a spaced apart above and below. The left positioning member 509a is used to position the left side of the game board 5.

The main frame speaker 503 is attached to the rear side of the base wall 501b so as to close the main frame speaker port 501d of the main frame base 501 from the rear. The main frame speaker 503 is a cone-shaped speaker that mainly outputs low-pitched sounds.

The main frame speaker box 504 is formed in a box shape that is open to the front and is attached to the rear side of the base wall portion 501b so as to cover the main frame speaker 503 from behind. When attached to the base wall portion 501b, the main frame speaker box 504 forms an enclosure 504a for the main frame speaker 503.

The main frame speaker box 504 has a box main body 504b located behind the main frame speaker 503, a box extension 504c connected to the bottom end of the box main body 504b and extending to the right in a front view, and a frame board unit pivot support 504d provided on the rear surface of the box main body 504b. The box extension 504c of the main frame speaker box 504 extends to the right near the right end of the main frame base 501 to cover the rear of the bass reflex duct 501e, and a portion of it extends further rearward than the box main body 504b.

Enclosure 504a is composed of box main body 504b and box extension 504c, and is connected to the outside through bass reflex duct 501e. In other words, the bass reflex duct 501e, main frame speaker 503, and main frame speaker box 504 form a phase-inverting bass reflex speaker.

More specifically, a predetermined sound is output forward and backward from the main body frame speaker 503. The sound output forward from the main body frame speaker 503 is emitted forward from the pachinko machine 1 through the main body frame speaker port 501d and the speaker grill 203.

On the other hand, the sound output rearward from the main frame speaker 503 vibrates the air inside the main frame speaker box 504 (enclosure 504a). This enclosure 504a is open to the front (outside) by the cylindrical bass reflex duct 501e, and so the sound is emitted forward from the bass reflex duct 501e. Because the bass reflex duct 501e is cylindrical and of a specified length, the low-frequency range is amplified by resonance caused by air column vibrations inside the duct, and the sound is emitted forward with its phase reversed.

As a result, the sound output forward from the main frame speaker 503 and the sound output rearward do not cancel each other out and act as attenuation, but rather resonate with each other and amplify them. This means that even though the main frame speaker 503 has a small diameter, it can output a loud sound with deep bass, allowing players to hear a sound with rich bass.

The box extension 504c of the main frame speaker box 504 is formed so that its front-to-back depth is longer than its vertical height, and its rear end protrudes slightly rearward beyond the rear end of the frame board unit 730 (see Figure 20). When assembled to the main frame 4, the box extension 504c covers the bottom of the frame board unit 730, leaving a gap between it and the frame board unit 730 (unit base 770 and power board box 772). This prevents the various wiring connected to the frame board unit 730 from drooping.

As shown in Figure 20, the box extension section 504c is inclined so that its upper surface becomes lower toward the rear. This allows debris, game balls B, etc. that fall from above to be guided rearward and discharged. Additionally, the box extension section 504c is inclined so that its lower surface becomes higher toward the rear. This prevents the box extension section 504c from coming into contact with the lower frame 14 of the main frame 4 when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2.

In addition, as shown in Figure 20, the box extension section 504c is inclined so that its underside rises toward the rear. This allows the underside of the box extension section 504c to guide the main body frame 4 into the outer frame 2 when closing the main body frame 4 against the outer frame 2, even if the main body frame 4 is tilted.

When assembled to the main body frame 4, the main body frame speaker box 504 supports the rear end of the tray insertion recess 501f in the main body frame base 501 so that it hangs down. As a result, game balls B discharged from the circulating ball path unit 600 are received in the ball receiving tray 720, and even if a load (the weight of multiple game balls B) acts from above on the tray insertion recess 501f via the ball receiving tray 720, the tray insertion recess 501f will not deform.

In addition, the main frame speaker box 504 is made of transparent synthetic resin, allowing the main frame speaker 503 to be seen from the outside.

The rear cover 505 is mounted on the main frame base 501 in an openable and closable manner so as to cover the rear of the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 when assembled to the pachinko machine 1. The rear cover 505 is L-shaped in plan view, like a flat plate with the right edge bent forward. The rear cover 505 has two locking claws 505a spaced apart vertically on its left end, and multiple axles 505b arranged vertically on its right end. The locking claws 505a are detachably engaged with the cover locking portion 502l on the main frame base 501. The axles 505b are pivotally supported by the cover pivot support portion 502m on the main frame base 501. This allows the rear cover 505 to be opened and closed relative to the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4. The rear cover 505 has multiple ventilation holes that allow heat from the game board 5 to escape to the outside. The back cover 505 is made of transparent synthetic resin.

The rear cover 505 is formed so that if an attempt is made to close the main frame base unit 500 (main frame base 501) after first closing the frame substrate unit 730 (described below) on the main frame base unit 500, it will interfere with (abut) the closed frame substrate unit 730, preventing it from being closed. Furthermore, the rear cover 505 is formed so that, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2 and an attempt is made to close the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 with the rear cover 505 open relative to the main frame base 501, it will interfere with (abut) the outer frame 2, preventing it from being closed.

The game board locking member 506 is attached to the front surface of the main frame base 501 (base wall portion 501b) so that it can rotate around an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction. By rotating the game board locking member 506 to the locked position with the game board 5 inserted into the game board insertion portion 502, the bottom end of the game board 5 can be prevented from moving forward.

The door open switch 507 detects whether the door frame 3 is open or closed relative to the main frame 4. The door open switch 507 is attached below the cylinder insertion opening 501m in the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The frame opening switch 508 is used to detect whether the main frame 4 is open or closed relative to the outer frame 2. The frame opening switch 508 is attached below the door opening switch 507 on the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The main body frame hinge mechanism 510 has an upper main body frame hinge body 511 attached to the upper end of the left side of the main body frame base 501, and a lower main body frame hinge body 512 attached to the lower end of the left side of the main body frame base 501.

The upper hinge body 511 has a cylindrical body frame hinge shaft 511a that protrudes upward and is inserted into the bearing groove 31a of the upper hinge body 31 in the outer frame 2, and a door frame upper shaft hole 511b that is located adjacent to the body frame hinge shaft 511a and into which the upper hinge shaft 111a of the upper hinge body 111 in the door frame 3 is inserted from below. The upper hinge body 511 has a flat, horizontally extending portion and a portion that extends downward from the rear end of the horizontally extending portion. The horizontally extending portion of the upper hinge body 511 is provided with the hinge shaft 511a and the upper shaft hole 511b. The downwardly extending portion of the upper hinge body 511 is attached to the main frame base 501.

The lower-frame hinge body 512 has an outer-frame shaft hole (not shown) into which the hinge shaft 35a of the lower-frame hinge body 35 in the outer frame 2 is inserted from below, and a lower-frame shaft hole 512b into which the lower-frame hinge shaft 112a of the lower-frame hinge body 112 in the door frame 3 is inserted from above. The lower-frame hinge body 512 has a flat, horizontally extending portion and a portion extending upward from the rear end of the horizontally extending portion. The horizontally extending portion of the lower-frame hinge body 512 is provided with an outer-frame shaft hole and a lower-frame shaft hole 512b. The downwardly extending portion of the lower-frame hinge body 512 is attached to the main frame base 501. Furthermore, the downwardly extending portion of the main frame lower hinge body 512 abuts against the rear wall portion 45c of the header panel 45 when the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2. This prevents the main frame 4 from hingedly rotating further rearward.

The main frame hinge mechanism 510 supports the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed relative to the outer frame 2 by inserting the main frame hinge shaft 511a of the main frame upper hinge body 511 into the bearing groove 31a of the outer frame upper hinge body 31 on the outer frame 2, and by inserting the hinge shaft 35a of the outer frame lower hinge body 35 on the outer frame 2 into the outer frame shaft hole of the main frame lower hinge body 512.

In addition, the main frame hinge mechanism 510 supports the door frame 3 so that it can be opened and closed relative to the main frame 4 by inserting the upper door frame hinge shaft 111a of the upper door frame hinge body 111 in the door frame 3 from below into the upper door frame shaft hole 511b of the upper main frame hinge body 511, and by inserting the lower door frame hinge shaft 112a of the lower door frame hinge body 112 in the door frame 3 from above into the lower door frame shaft hole 512b of the lower main frame hinge body 512.

[4-2. Ball Launching Unit]
The ball launching unit 550 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 25 to 28. Figure 25(a) is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and Figure 25(b) is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. Figure 26(a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit as seen from the front, and Figure 26(b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit as seen from the rear. Figure 27(a) is a perspective view of the launching unit cover of the ball launching unit as seen from the left rear, and Figure 27(b) is an explanatory diagram of the ball launching unit as seen from the front, showing only the launching unit cover in cross section. Figure 28 is a front view of the ball launching unit, showing the launch subtraction sensor and launching hammer in dashed lines.

The ball launching unit 550 is used to launch game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, and has a ball inlet 550a that receives game balls B sent from the ball sending unit 700, a ball launching port 550b through which the launched game balls B are released to the outside, and a ball outlet 550c through which the game balls B are discharged. The ball launching unit 550 can shoot game balls B with a strength that corresponds to the rotation angle of the handle 160 in the lower right corner of the front of the door frame 3. The ball launching unit 550 is attached to the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i, which is located at the top of the front of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501, to the right of the center in the left-right direction and below the opaque eave portion 501p.

The ball inlet 550a of the ball launching unit 550 is located on the rear surface and is a square opening large enough to allow one game ball B to pass through. When assembled to the main body frame 4, this ball inlet 550a is located in front of the ball outlet 702 of the ball sending unit 700 and is connected to the ball outlet 702. The ball launching opening 550b opens at an angle at the left end of the top surface, with the left end lower. When assembled to the main body frame 4, this ball launching opening 550b is connected to the upper part of the foul right opening 570b of the foul unit 570. The ball discharge opening 550c is an opening on the left side. When assembled to the main body frame 4, this ball discharge opening 550c is connected to the lower part of the foul right opening 570b of the foul unit 570.

The ball launching unit 550 comprises a flat unit base 551, a launching unit cover 552 attached to cover the front side of the unit base 551, a launch solenoid 553 attached to the rear side of the unit base 551 so that its rotation shaft 553a protrudes forward of the unit base 551, a launch subtraction sensor 554 capable of detecting whether or not a game ball B has been launched, a launching hammer 555 attached to the rotation shaft 553a of the launch solenoid 553, a nut 556 attaching the launching hammer 555 to the rotation shaft 553a of the launch solenoid 553, an annular spacer 557 inserted into the rotation shaft 553a of the launch solenoid 553, and two rubber contacts 558 that can come into contact with the launching hammer 555.

The unit base 551 of the ball launching unit 550 is formed from a metal plate such as a steel plate. The unit base 551 is provided with a ball inlet 550a, which penetrates in a square shape from the center upward when viewed from the front.

The launch unit cover 552 is formed by injection molding using a transparent synthetic resin. The launch unit cover 552 comprises a flat front plate 552a spaced forward from the unit base 551, a ball launch pad 552b that is located behind the front plate 552a and directly below the ball inlet 550a of the unit base 551 and is sloped so that the left end is higher, and a detection port 552c that passes vertically through the ball launch pad 552b.

The launch unit cover 552 also includes a launch pad upper wall portion 552d located on the rear side of the front plate 552a, at the upper right of the ball launch pad 552b when viewed from the front, forming a gap between the ball launch pad 552b and the launch pad 552b through which the game ball B cannot pass, and a sensor lower mounting portion 552e and a sensor upper mounting portion 552f located on the rear side of the front plate 552a so as to sandwich the ball launch pad 552b and the launch pad upper wall portion 552d.

Furthermore, the launch unit cover 552 is provided with a barrier portion 552g that is arranged in the direction in which the game ball B is launched from the ball launch pad 552b and whose upper end forms the lower end of the ball launch port 550b; an ejection guide wall portion 552h that extends downward from the left end of the ball launch pad 552b at the rear of the front plate 552a and then extends so as to become lower toward the left; a window portion 552i that penetrates from front to back above the sensor lower mounting portion 552e and to the right of the sensor lower mounting portion 552e; a wiring groove 552j that is recessed in the front surface of the front plate 552a and extends from the lower left to the upper right; and a plurality of wiring engagement portions 552k that protrude from the front end of the wiring groove 552j parallel to the bottom surface of the wiring groove 552j.

Ball launcher 552b is where game balls B supplied through ball inlet 550a are placed. The top surface of ball launcher 552b is inclined so that the left end is higher when viewed from the front. Ball launcher 552b is recessed into a constant cross-sectional shape (trapezoidal) that narrows downward along the direction of the inclination of the top surface. The length of ball launcher 552b in the inclined direction (launching direction) is approximately the same as the diameter of game ball B, and it is formed so that only one game ball B can be placed on it so that it touches the two inclined surfaces of the trapezoidal recess. In this embodiment, ball launcher 552b is inclined at an angle of approximately 27 degrees from the horizontal.

Detection port 552c is located at the bottom of the trapezoidally recessed portion of ball launcher 552b. Launcher upper wall 552d is located above the sloping lower end of ball launcher 552b. Launcher upper wall 552d is located so as to form a gap between ball launcher 552b and launcher upper wall 552d, through which game ball B cannot pass, but through which the tip of launching hammer 555 can pass. As a result, game ball B supplied to ball launcher 552b abuts against the left end of launcher upper wall 552d, and is placed on ball launcher 552b in a state where its movement downstream (to the right in this case) in the sloping direction of ball launcher 552b is restricted.

When a game ball B is placed on ball launching pad 552b, the center of that game ball B is located slightly to the right of the center of ball entrance 550a. Furthermore, the length of ball launching pad 552b is set so that only one game ball B can be placed thereon. As a result, even if a launched game ball B returns or a game ball B is sent from ball sending unit 700 while a game ball B is placed on ball launching pad 552b, and another game ball B is supplied to ball launching pad 552b, it will be bounced off the game ball B placed on ball launching pad 552b and will be discharged to the discharge guide wall portion 552h side (foul unit 570 side) without landing on ball launching pad 552b, and will be detected by foul ball sensor 607. Therefore, even if a game ball B is placed on the ball launch pad 552b and the launched game ball B returns or is supplied from the ball sending unit 700, the game ball B is sent to the foul unit 570 and added to the balls held as a foul ball, eliminating any discrepancy with the actual number of launched game balls B.

The light-emitting unit 554a and light-receiving unit 554b that make up the firing subtraction sensor 554 are attached to the lower sensor mounting portion 552e and the upper sensor mounting portion 552f, respectively. Because the firing subtraction sensor 554 (here, the light-emitting unit 554a) is attached facing upwards on the lower sensor mounting portion 552e, there is a risk of false detection if dirt or dust adheres to the top surface of the light-emitting unit 554a. However, because the light-emitting unit 554a is attached at an angle, dirt and dust are less likely to accumulate.

Barrier section 552g is located to the left of ball launcher 552b, at a distance greater than the diameter of game ball B, and below the trajectory of game ball B launched from ball launcher 552b. Game balls B that are hit with a weak impact can come into contact with barrier section 552g, and game balls B that come into contact with barrier section 552g will flow down onto the discharge guide wall section 552h below, passing between barrier section 552g and ball launcher 552b, and will not return to ball launcher 552b. In addition, because barrier section 552g extends vertically, it is possible to prevent game balls B from entering from the foul unit 570 side.

The discharge guide wall 552h forms the ball discharge port 550c between it and the barrier 552g. The discharge guide wall 552h is inclined so that the left end is lower, allowing it to guide game balls B that have flowed down between the ball launch pad 552b and the barrier 552g to the left and be discharged from the ball discharge port 550c at the left end toward the foul unit 570. As a result, game balls B that have been struck by the launching hammer 555 at the ball launch pad 552b but have not been launched from the ball discharge port 550b are guided by the discharge guide wall 552h and are discharged from the ball discharge port 550c to the foul unit 570.

Window 552i is provided in the area between ball launch pad 552b and sensor lower mounting portion 552e, and in the area forward of the tip of firing hammer 555 when it is in a retracted position away from the striking position. Because launch subtraction sensor 554 (here, light-emitting portion 554a) is attached facing upward on sensor lower mounting portion 552e, dirt and dust can easily accumulate on the top surface of light-emitting portion 554a, which can lead to false detection. However, by inserting a cleaning tool such as a cotton swab through window 552i between ball launch pad 552b and sensor lower mounting portion 552e, the top surface of light-emitting portion 554a can be easily cleaned.

In addition, since the tip of the firing hammer 555 comes into contact with the game ball B, if there is any dirt or other debris attached to the tip of the firing hammer 555, it may be impossible to properly launch the game ball B. However, as shown in Figure 28, a window 552i is provided in front of the tip of the firing hammer 555 in the standby position, so the tip of the firing hammer 555 can be easily cleaned by inserting a cleaning tool such as a cotton swab through the window 552i.

The firing solenoid 553 is composed of a rotary solenoid having a rotation shaft 553a extending forward and backward. Details will be explained later, but the firing solenoid 553, in conjunction with the ball delivery solenoid 706 (described below), performs a series of hardware operations based on a predetermined firing sequence.

The launch subtraction sensor 554 can detect the presence or absence of a gaming ball B on the ball launch pad 552b. The launch subtraction sensor 554 is composed of a light-emitting unit 554a that emits detection light and a light-receiving unit 554b that receives the detection light, and these are attached to the sensor lower mounting portion 552e and sensor upper mounting portion 552f of the launch unit cover 552, respectively. The detection light emitted from the light-emitting unit 554a is received by the light-receiving unit 554b through a detection port 552c provided at the bottom of the ball launch pad 552b. If a gaming ball B is placed on the ball launch pad 552b, the detection light is blocked by the gaming ball B, and the detection light is not received by the light-receiving unit 554b. This makes it possible to detect the presence or absence of a gaming ball B on the ball launch pad 552b.

The launch subtraction sensor 554, which will be described in detail later, detects when game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b and subtracts one ball from the player's total number of balls.

In this embodiment, the number of balls held is subtracted when the launch subtraction sensor 554 is judged to be OFF. However, because the number of balls held by the player can change depending on the operation of the launch subtraction sensor 554, one-to-one reliability is required for the launch of game ball B. Incidentally, normal passage judgment for game ball B is made by detecting the light from the light-emitting element in the light-receiving unit, which switches from OFF to ON (from no game ball B to present) (so-called "011") at predetermined time intervals (for example, an interrupt cycle of 4 ms). However, there are concerns about ball movement when game ball B is supplied to the ball launch pad 552b (launch rail), and false detection of something other than the launched ball by the tip of the launch hammer 555 after launch.

In contrast, this embodiment focuses on the fact that game ball B is parked on ball launch pad 552b, and first determines whether game ball B is present on ball launch pad 552b. When game ball B is no longer present, it is determined that the game has been launched. In other words, it determines whether the game ball is present (ON) and then whether the game ball is OFF (no game ball = launched). Specifically, a threshold is set to recognize ON and OFF (for example, an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 80 ms), and only when the ON threshold is exceeded is it determined that "game ball is present." When the OFF threshold is exceeded, it is determined that game ball B has been launched ("no game ball") and the number of balls held is subtracted. This prevents malfunctions due to game ball chatter or noise. Note that the above threshold is preferably an integer multiple of the interrupt period (for example, 4 ms).

The launching hammer 555 is used to strike and launch the game ball B. The launching hammer 555 is attached to the rotation shaft 553a of the launching solenoid 553 and rotates (pivots) together with the rotation shaft 553a. The tip of the launching hammer 555 passes between the ball launch pad 552b and the launch pad upper wall portion 552d and is arranged so that it can abut against the game ball B placed on the ball launch pad 552b.

In order to ensure the launch accuracy of the game ball B when mass-producing the ball launching unit 550, the insertion angle of the tip of the launching hammer 555, the mounting angle of the ball launching platform 552b (launching rail), and adjustment of the tip position of the launching hammer 555 after assembly into the ball launching unit 550 all required strict adjustments, making mass production difficult. Therefore, in this embodiment, the method of determining launch accuracy has been changed from the conventional method of determining launch accuracy based on the way the game ball B hits the launching rail and the shape of the launching rail to determining only the contact between the launching hammer 555 and the game ball B. With this change, the accuracy of the tip of the launching hammer 555 alone becomes more important for launch accuracy, so the tip of the launching hammer 555 is formed by sheet metal insert molding, and the contact area of the tip of the launching hammer 555 with the game ball B is increased compared to conventional methods. This ensures stable launch accuracy and allows for some assembly error, making it possible to mass-produce the ball launching unit 550.

Nut 556 is threaded onto the rotating shaft 553a of firing solenoid 553. Spacer 557 is into which the rotating shaft 553a of firing solenoid 553 is inserted. The rotating shaft 553a of firing solenoid 553 is inserted from the rear through spacer 557 and then firing hammer 555, and nut 556 is threaded onto the tip protruding forward from firing hammer 555 and tightened, thereby attaching firing hammer 555.

The rubber 558 is attached to the unit base 551 to restrict the rotation range (pivot range) of the firing hammer 555.

In the ball launching unit 550 of this embodiment, only one game ball B is placed on the ball launching pad 552b, and the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launching pad 552b, so that the launch of each game ball B can be reliably detected one by one.

Furthermore, with the ball launch unit 550, the launch unit cover 552 is made of transparent synthetic resin, so by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main body frame 4, the interior of the ball launch unit 550 can be seen from the front. Because the launch unit cover 552 is transparent, there is a risk that light could enter the interior and cause a false detection by the launch subtraction sensor 554, which is a photosensor. However, when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main body frame 4, light from the front is blocked by the door frame 3, light from the rear is blocked by the unit base 551, which is made of a metal plate, and light from above is blocked by the eaves portion 501p of the black, opaque main body frame base 501. As a result, no light enters the interior, preventing false detection due to light by the launch subtraction sensor 554.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 (recycling gaming machine) disclosed in this embodiment is designed to only deduct the number of balls held after the ball has been fired. Therefore, compared to the method used in conventional recycling gaming machines, where ball feeding is used as a trigger to deduct the number of balls held before firing, when settling a game, game ball B (with its held balls deducted) that remains on the firing rail without being fired is automatically fired blank and made into a foul ball in order to be returned to the player, eliminating the need to add up the number of balls held to make the total add up, allowing for a quicker settlement process.

Furthermore, with the ball launch unit 550, the launch subtraction sensor 554 is mounted at an angle, which makes it difficult for dirt and dust to accumulate on the detection surface of the launch subtraction sensor 554. Even if dirt or dust does adhere to the launch subtraction sensor 554, the detection surface can be easily cleaned by inserting a cleaning tool such as a cotton swab through the window 552i of the launch unit cover 552, making it easy to eliminate false detections (malfunctions) caused by the adhesion of dirt or dust.

In addition, according to the ball launching unit 550, a window 552i is also provided in the area where the tip of the launching hammer 555 can be cleaned. By inserting a cleaning tool through the window 552i in this area, the tip of the launching hammer 555 can be easily cleaned, eliminating variations in the launch of the game ball B due to the adhesion of dirt and other debris.

[4-2a. Ball launching unit of the second embodiment]
A ball launching unit of a second embodiment will be described. Figure 29(a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and Figure 29(b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. Figure 30(a) is a perspective view of the launching unit cover of the ball launching unit of the second embodiment as seen from the left rear, and Figure 30(b) is an explanatory diagram of the ball launching unit of the second embodiment, showing only the launching unit cover in cross section as seen from the front.

What differs from the ball launching unit of the first embodiment is that the ball launching unit 550A of the second embodiment does not have the launch subtraction sensor 554 that was present in the ball launching unit 550 of the first embodiment. Conversely, the length of the ball launching platform 552b (launching rail) is such that only one game ball B can be placed on it, and due to the length and inclination of the launching rail, two game balls B cannot be placed on it, which is the same.

In place of the launch subtraction sensor 554 that was present in the ball launch unit 550 of the first embodiment, the ball delivery unit of the second embodiment is equipped with a ball delivery port sensor 711.

[4-3. Foul Unit]
The foul unit 570 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. Figure 31(a) is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. Figure 32(a) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit as seen from the rear. Figure 33(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit with the foul shutter in a closed state, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit with the foul shutter in an open state.

The foul unit 570 is used to collect game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 and hit between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 but did not reach the game area 5a, and game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 but did not reach the game board 5 (between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002) because the launch strength was too weak. The foul unit 570 has a foul upper opening 570a that opens on the top surface, a foul right opening 570b that opens on the right side, and a foul ball outlet 570c that communicates with the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b and opens rearward at the bottom end.

The foul unit 570 is attached to the foul unit mounting portion 501h, which is located in the center (left-right direction) of the upper front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. When assembled to the main frame 4, the foul unit 570's upper end is approximately the same height as the upper end of the base wall portion 501b, and the foul right opening 570b is closed by the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c of the ball launch unit 550. In other words, when assembled to the main frame 4, the foul right opening 570b is connected to the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c. The foul upper opening 570a and foul right opening 570b are formed by the unit base 572 and front cover 573, which will be described later, and the ball discharge port 550c is formed in the unit base 572.

The foul unit 570 comprises a foul shutter 571 that can be opened and closed to prevent the passage of the game ball B through the foul upper opening 570a, a unit base 572 that is attached to the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501, a front cover 573 that is attached to the front side of the unit base 572, a rear cover 574 that is attached to the rear side of the unit base 572 so as to cover the rear of the foul shutter 571, and a spring 575 that biases the foul shutter 571 forward.

The fall shutter 571 is supported so that it can slide forward and backward by the cooperation of the unit base 572 and front cover 573. The fall shutter 571 has a long, strip-shaped shutter portion 571a, two forward protrusions 571b that protrude forward from both the left and right ends of the shutter portion 571a, and a flat rear wall portion 571c that extends downward from the rear edge of the shutter portion 571a.

The foul shutter 571 can close the foul upper opening 570a with the shutter portion 571a to prevent the passage of the game ball B. The two forward protrusions 571b are arranged so that their front ends protrude further forward than the front cover 573 and can abut against the rear surface of the door frame main body 100 of the door frame 3. The front end of the spring 575 abuts against the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c.

The unit base 572 is long from side to side and has an L-shape with a portion extending downward near the right end. The unit base 572 has a shutter housing portion 572a that extends from side to side along the upper edge and is concave toward the rear, a ball guide portion 572b that extends from side to side below the shutter housing portion 572a and has a downward-extending right end and is concave toward the rear, a cylindrical portion 572c that extends rearward in a rectangular cylindrical shape from the lower end of the ball guide portion 572b, and a receiving portion 572d that extends forward in a flat plate shape from the lower end of the ball guide portion 572b.

The shutter housing portion 572a of the unit base 572 houses the foul shutter 571 and spring 575 from the front. The portion of the ball guide portion 572b of the unit base 572 that extends to the left and right is inclined so that it slopes lower to the right. The cylindrical portion 572c of the unit base 572 is inclined so that it slopes lower to the rear, and the opening at the rear end is the foul ball outlet 570c.

The receiving portion 572d of the unit base 572 is inclined so that its rear end is lower. The right edge of this receiving portion 572d forms the lower edge of the foul right opening 570b. The right edge of the receiving portion 572d forms the lower edge of the foul right opening 570b, and the lower part, including the lower end of the foul right opening 570b, is connected to the ball discharge outlet 550c of the ball launching unit 550. Therefore, a game ball B that falls from the ball launching pad 552b, is discharged from the ball discharge outlet 550c, and passes through the foul right opening 570b, flows down onto the receiving portion 572d, is guided rearward by the receiving portion 572d, passes through the tubular portion 572c, and is discharged rearward from the foul ball outlet 570c. When the foul shutter 571 is closed, the game ball B that is launched from the ball launching unit 550, passes through the foul right opening 570b, and hits the back surface (underside) of the foul shutter 571 is sent to the rear ball guide section 572b by the lower wall section 573c of the front cover 573, passes behind the receiving section 572d, and is discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c via the tube section 572c.

The unit base 572 also has a notch 572e recessed from the front near the right end of the bottom wall of the portion of the ball guide section 572b that extends left and right. This notch 572e is sized so as not to interfere with the flow of the game ball B, and allows debris that has entered the ball guide section 572b to be discharged downward from the upper foul opening 570a.

The front cover 573 comprises a flat, L-shaped front plate 573a that is long from side to side and has a portion extending downward near the right end; a left wall portion 573b that extends rearward from the left edge of the front plate 573a; a lower wall portion 573c that extends rightward from the bottom end of the left wall portion 573b along the bottom edge of the front plate 573a and also extends rearward; a hanging wall portion 573d that extends downward from the right end of the lower wall portion 573c along the left edge of the downward-extending portion of the front plate 573a and also extends rearward; and a right wall portion 573f that extends rearward from the top right end of the front plate 573a.

The upper and right edges of the front panel 573a form the front edges of the upper foul opening 570a and the right foul opening 570b. The right edge of the upper end of the left wall 573b forms the left edge of the upper foul opening 570a, and the left edge of the upper end of the right wall 573f forms the right edge of the upper foul opening 570a. The lower edge of the right wall 573f forms the upper edge of the right foul opening 570b.

The lower wall portion 573c of the front cover 573 is located below the foul ball upper opening 570a. The lower wall portion 573c of this front cover 573 is gently inclined so that it lowers to the left and also slopes backward. This prevents it from directly receiving the impact of a game ball B falling from above as a foul ball, and allows the game ball B to be handed over to the ball guide portion 572b of the unit base 572 located at the rear while dissipating the impact. The game ball B handed over to the ball guide portion 572b then passes from the lower right end of the ball guide portion 572b through the tube portion 572c and is discharged rearward through the foul ball outlet 570c.

Two springs 575 are provided, spaced apart on the left and right, and are arranged inside the box-shaped shutter housing portion 572a of the unit base 572. The front end of each spring 575 abuts against the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c of the fall shutter 571, and the rear end abuts against the front surface of the rear wall of the shutter housing portion 572a. The springs 575 urge the fall shutter 571 forward.

When assembled into the pachinko machine 1, this foul unit 570 is attached to the foul unit mounting portion 501h, which is located at the top of the front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame 4, near the center in the left-right direction. In this state, the ball launching unit 550 is attached adjacent to the right side of the foul unit 570.

As shown in FIG. 21, the foul upper opening 570a of the foul unit 570 is located near the upper end of the base wall portion 501b and is located on the axis of the launch direction of the game ball B in the ball launching unit 550. In other words, the foul upper opening 570a is located in the area between the opening at the lower end between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550.

On the other hand, the foul right opening 570b of the foul unit 570 is connected at its upper part to the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550, and at its lower part to the ball discharge port 550c of the ball launching unit 550. Therefore, the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b are provided in the area between the lower opening between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550. As a result, game ball B launched from the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550 enters the foul unit 570 through the foul right opening 570b, and then passes through the foul upper opening 570a to enter between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5.

When the door frame 3 of the foul unit 570 of this embodiment is opened forward relative to the main frame 4, the foul shutter 571 slides forward due to the biasing force of the spring 575, as shown in Figure 36 (a), and the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 protrudes between the front surface of the unit base 572 and the front plate 573a of the front cover 573, closing the foul upper opening 570a so that the game ball B cannot pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position. In this state, the stepped portion at the rear end of the forward protrusion 571b of the foul shutter 571 abuts against the front cover 573, preventing it from sliding forward any further.

When a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550 while the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570 through the foul right opening 570b, abuts against the underside of the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571, and flows down within the foul unit 570 without being launched upward through the foul upper opening 570a. The game ball B that flows down within the foul unit 570 is guided by the lower wall portion 573c, ball guide portion 572b, tube portion 572c, etc., and is supplied to the circulating ball path unit 600 from the rear foul ball outlet 570c. This prevents the game ball B from leaking out of the foul unit 570, even if the game ball B is launched when the door frame 3 is open.

When the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the door opening switch 507 is turned OFF, and turning the door opening switch 507 OFF may stop the launch of game ball B from the ball launching unit 550. Alternatively, rather than stopping the launch of game ball B when the door frame 3 is opened, the main control board 1310 may temporarily suspend play, and when the door frame 3 is closed, play may resume.

Furthermore, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2 (the frame open switch 508 is OFF), the door frame 3 is closed and game ball B does not leak to the outside, so the launch of game ball B from the ball launch unit 550 may not be stopped. Alternatively, when the main frame 4 is opened, the same processing as when the door frame 3 is opened may be performed.

When the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the rear surface of the door frame 3 abuts against the front ends of the two forward protrusions 571b of the foul shutter 571, causing the foul shutter 571 to slide rearward against the biasing force of the spring 575 (see Figure 36 (b)). In this state, the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 is located rearward of the front surface of the unit base 572, leaving the foul upper opening 570a open so that the game ball B can pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the open position.

When the foul shutter 571 is in the open position and a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570 through the foul right opening 570b, passes through the foul upper opening 570a, and is launched upward toward the game board 5 (between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002). The launched game ball B then passes over the backflow prevention member 1007 located at the top end of the inner rail 1002, and is launched into the game area 5a.

In addition, game balls B that are launched from the ball launching unit 550 but do not pass the backflow prevention member 1007 at the top end of the inner rail 1002 (game balls B that are not hit into the game area) flow down between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002, enter through the foul upper opening 570a as foul balls, and are collected by the foul unit 570. Game balls B that are collected through the foul upper opening 570a are guided by the lower wall portion 573c, ball guide portion 572b, tube portion 572c, etc., and are discharged (supplied) to the circulating ball path unit 600 from the rear foul ball outlet 570c.

Foul unit 570 also receives game balls B discharged from ball outlet 550c of ball launching unit 550 at the bottom of foul right opening 570b. Game balls B that enter foul unit 570 from the bottom of foul right opening 570b flow down onto receiving portion 572d, are guided rearward by the inclination of receiving portion 572d, and are discharged from foul ball outlet 570c to the circulating ball path unit 600.

In this way, the foul unit 570 can collect game balls B that were launched from the ball launching unit 550 but did not land in the game area 5a of the game board 5 without leaking to the outside, and supply them to the circulating ball path unit 600. As will be described in detail later, the circulating ball path unit 600 detects game balls B supplied from the foul ball outlet 570c using the foul ball sensor 607. When this foul ball sensor 607 detects game ball B, one ball is added to the player's total number of balls.

In addition, the foul unit 570's unit base 572, front cover 573, etc. are made of transparent synthetic resin, so the interior can be seen from the outside, making it easy to detect any ball jams inside.

[4-3a. Foul unit of the second embodiment]
Next, the foul unit 570A of the second embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 34 to 36. Figure 34(a) is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and Figure 34(b) is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. Figure 35(a) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and Figure 35(b) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. Figure 36(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter in a closed state, and Figure 36(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter in an open state.

The foul unit 570A is used to collect game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 and hit between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 but did not reach the game area 5a, and game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 but did not reach the game board 5 (between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002) because the launch strength was too weak. The foul unit 570A has a foul upper opening 570a that opens on the top surface, a foul right opening 570b that opens on the right side surface, and a foul ball outlet 570c that communicates with the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b and opens rearward at the bottom end.

The foul unit 570A is attached to the foul unit mounting portion 501h, which is located in the center (left-right direction) of the upper front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. When assembled to the main frame 4, the foul unit 570A's upper end is approximately the same height as the upper end of the base wall portion 501b, and the foul right opening 570b is closed by the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c of the ball launch unit 550. In other words, when assembled to the main frame 4, the foul right opening 570b is connected to the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c. The foul upper opening 570a and foul right opening 570b are formed by the unit base 572 and front cover 573, which will be described later, and the ball discharge port 550c is formed in the unit base 572.

The foul unit 570A comprises a foul shutter 571 that can be opened and closed to prevent the passage of the game ball B through the foul upper opening 570a, a unit base 572 that is attached to the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501, a front cover 573 that is attached to the front side of the unit base 572, a rear cover 574 that is attached to the rear side of the unit base 572 so as to cover the rear of the foul shutter 571, a spring 575 that biases the foul shutter 571 forward, and a foul ball earth metal plate 576 that is provided between the unit base 572 and the front cover 573.

The fall shutter 571 is supported so that it can slide forward and backward by the cooperation of the unit base 572 and front cover 573. The fall shutter 571 has a long, strip-shaped shutter portion 571a, two forward protrusions 571b that protrude forward from both the left and right ends of the shutter portion 571a, and a flat rear wall portion 571c that extends downward from the rear edge of the shutter portion 571a.

The foul shutter 571 can close the foul upper opening 570a with the shutter portion 571a to prevent the passage of the game ball B. The two forward protrusions 571b are arranged so that their front ends protrude further forward than the front cover 573 and can abut against the rear surface of the door frame main body 100 of the door frame 3. The front end of the spring 575 abuts against the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c.

The unit base 572 has a main body 572f that is elongated from side to side and has a flat, partial T-shape with a portion extending downward near the right end; a shutter insertion opening 572g that penetrates from front to back near the upper end of the main body 572f and extends left and right; and multiple rear support openings 572h that are provided along the lower edge of the main body 572f to the left of the portion that extends downward and penetrates from front to back.

The unit base 572 is provided with a foul ball outlet 570c near the bottom end of the downward-extending portion of the main body 572f. The foul ball outlet 570c penetrates from front to back and extends rearward in a rectangular cylindrical shape. The cylindrical foul ball outlet 570c is inclined so that it slopes downward toward the rear.

The lower edge of the left side of the main body 572f is inclined so that it is lower to the right than the downward-extending portion. The shutter insertion opening 572g is large enough to allow the shutter portion 571a and forward protrusion 571b of the foul shutter 571 to pass through. The multiple rear support openings 572h are elongated on the left and right, each lowering to the right, and are lined up along the inclined lower edge of the main body 572f. The rear support openings 572h are designed so that the support piece 576a of the foul ball ground metal plate 576 can be inserted with a gap between them.

The front cover 573 comprises a flat, partial T-shaped front plate 573a that is elongated from side to side and has a portion extending downward near the right end; a left wall portion 573b that extends rearward from the left edge of the front plate 573a; a lower wall portion 573c that extends rightward and rearward from the lower end of the left wall portion 573b along the lower edge of the front plate 573a; a hanging wall portion 573d that extends downward and rearward from the right end of the lower wall portion 573c along the left edge of the downward-extending portion of the front plate 573a; a bottom wall portion 573e that extends rightward and rearward from the lower end of the hanging wall portion 573d along the lower edge of the downward-extending portion of the front plate 573a; and a right wall portion 573f that extends rearward from the upper right end of the front plate 573a.

The upper and right edges of the front panel 573a form the front edges of the upper foul opening 570a and the right foul opening 570b. The right edge of the upper end of the left wall 573b forms the left edge of the upper foul opening 570a, and the left edge of the upper end of the right wall 573f forms the right edge of the upper foul opening 570a. The lower edge of the right wall 573f forms the upper edge of the right foul opening 570b, and the right edge of the bottom wall 573e forms the lower edge of the right foul opening 570b.

The front cover 573 has a lower wall portion 573c located below the foul ball upper opening 570a, allowing it to guide a game ball B that flows down through the foul ball upper opening 570a to the right and then flow down along the hanging wall portion 573d onto the bottom wall portion 573e. This bottom wall portion 573e is sloped so that the portion in front of the foul ball outlet 570c is lower toward the rear, and the portion to the right of this portion is higher toward the right. Therefore, a game ball B that flows down the bottom wall portion 573e is guided rearward and discharged rearward through the foul ball outlet 570c. Furthermore, because the right edge of the bottom wall portion 573e forms the lower edge of the foul right opening 570b, a game ball B that enters through the foul right opening 570b flows down onto the bottom wall portion 573e, is guided by the bottom wall portion 573e, and is discharged rearward through the foul ball outlet 570c.

The front cover 573 also has a front plate 573a with multiple front support openings 573g arranged in a row on the left and right sides along the lower wall portion 573c and penetrating from front to back. The multiple front support openings 573g are arranged to face the rear support openings 572h of the unit base 572. The front support openings 573g are also arranged so that the support piece 576a of the foul ball grounding metal plate 576 can be inserted with a gap between them.

The rear cover 574 is shaped like a box with an open front. The rear portion of the fall shutter 571 is inserted into the interior of the rear cover 574, and a spring 575 is also placed inside. The rear end of the spring 575 abuts against the front surface of the rear wall of the rear cover 574.

Two springs 575 are provided, spaced apart on the left and right, and are positioned inside the box-shaped rear cover 574. The front end of each spring 575 abuts against the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c of the fall shutter 571, and the rear end abuts against the front surface of the rear wall of the rear cover 574. The springs 575 urge the fall shutter 571 forward.

The foul ball earth metal plate 576 is made of a metal plate such as a steel plate, and is ultimately connected to the ground of the amusement hall via an earth wire (not shown). The foul ball earth metal plate 576 is formed in the shape of a long strip from side to side, with multiple support pieces 576a extending outward from the front and rear long sides. The foul ball earth metal plate 576 is placed on the upper surface of the lower wall portion 573c of the front cover 573, and the multiple support pieces 576a are inserted with some play into the rear support opening 572h of the unit base 572 and the front support opening 573g of the front cover 573.

As a result, the game ball B that flows down through the upper foul opening 570a toward the lower wall portion 573c comes into contact with the foul ball earth metal plate 576, and the static electricity that has been charged to it is removed before it is guided to the right. At this time, because the support piece 576a is loosely fitted into the rear support opening 572h and the front support opening 573g, contact with the game ball B causes the foul ball earth metal plate 576 to vibrate, and this vibration causes dust and dirt on the foul ball earth metal plate 576 to be expelled to the outside through the gap between the loosely fitted rear support opening 572h and front support opening 573g. The foul ball earth metal plate 576 also serves as reinforcement against falling game balls B.

When assembled into the pachinko machine 1, this foul unit 570A is attached to the foul unit mounting portion 501h, which is located at the top of the front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame 4, near the center in the left-right direction. In this state, the ball launching unit 550 is attached adjacent to the right side of the foul unit 570A.

Similar to the foul unit 570 of the first embodiment, the foul upper opening 570a of the foul unit 570A is located near the upper end of the base wall portion 501b and is located on the axis of the launch direction of the game ball B in the ball launching unit 550. In other words, the foul upper opening 570a is located in the area between the opening at the lower end between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550.

On the other hand, the foul right opening 570b of the foul unit 570A is connected at its upper part to the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550, and at its lower part to the ball discharge port 550c of the ball launching unit 550. Therefore, the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b are provided in the area between the lower opening between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the gaming board 5 and the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550. As a result, the gaming ball B launched from the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550 enters the foul unit 570A through the foul right opening 570b, and then passes through the foul upper opening 570a to enter between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the gaming board 5.

When the door frame 3 of the foul unit 570A of this embodiment is opened forward relative to the main body frame 4, the foul shutter 571 slides forward due to the biasing force of the spring 575, as shown in Figure 36 (a), and the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 protrudes between the front surface of the unit base 572 and the front plate 573a of the front cover 573, closing the foul upper opening 570a so that the game ball B cannot pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position. In this state, the rear wall portion 571c of the foul shutter 571 abuts against the rear surface of the main body portion 572f of the unit base 572, and it cannot slide forward any further.

When a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550 while the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570A through the foul right opening 570b, abuts against the underside of the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571, and flows down through the foul unit 570A without being launched upward through the foul upper opening 570a. The game ball B that flows down through the foul unit 570A is guided by the lower wall portion 573c (foul ball earthing metal plate 576), the hanging wall portion 573d, the bottom wall portion 573e, etc., and is supplied to the circulating ball path unit 600 through the rear foul ball outlet 570c. This prevents the game ball B from leaking out of the foul unit 570A, even if the game ball B is launched when the door frame 3 is open.

When the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the door opening switch 507 is turned OFF, and turning the door opening switch 507 OFF may stop the launch of game ball B from the ball launching unit 550. Alternatively, rather than stopping the launch of game ball B when the door frame 3 is opened, the main control board 1310 may temporarily suspend play, and when the door frame 3 is closed, play may resume.

Furthermore, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2 (the frame open switch 508 is OFF), the door frame 3 is closed and game ball B does not leak to the outside, so the launch of game ball B from the ball launch unit 550 may not be stopped. Alternatively, when the main frame 4 is opened, the same processing as when the door frame 3 is opened may be performed.

When the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the rear surface of the door frame 3 abuts against the front ends of the two forward protrusions 571b of the foul shutter 571, causing the foul shutter 571 to slide rearward against the biasing force of the spring 575 (see Figure 36 (b)). In this state, the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 is located rearward of the front surface of the unit base 572, leaving the foul upper opening 570a open so that the game ball B can pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the open position.

When the foul shutter 571 is in the open position and a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570A through the foul right opening 570b, then passes through the foul upper opening 570a and is launched upward toward the game board 5 (between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002). The launched game ball B then passes over the backflow prevention member 1007 located at the top end of the inner rail 1002, and is launched into the game area 5a.

A game ball B that is launched from the ball launching unit 550 but does not pass the backflow prevention member 1007 at the top end of the inner rail 1002 (a game ball B that is not hit into the game area) flows down between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002, enters the foul ball through the foul upper opening 570a, and is collected by the foul unit 570A. The game ball B that is collected through the foul upper opening 570a flows down onto the foul ball earth metal plate 576 placed on the upper surface of the lower wall portion 573c, and static electricity is removed by the foul ball earth metal plate 576. At this time, since the foul ball earth metal plate 576 is loosely fitted, it vibrates when the game ball B comes into contact with it, and this vibration ejects dust and debris on the foul ball earth metal plate 576 from the rear support opening 572h and the front support opening 573g and out of the foul unit 570A.

The game ball B that flows down onto the foul ball earth metal plate 576 (lower wall portion 573c) is guided to the right by its inclination, flows down along the hanging wall portion 573d onto the bottom wall portion 573e, and is guided rearward by the inclination of the bottom wall portion 573e before being discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c into the circulating ball path unit 600.

Foul unit 570A also receives game balls B discharged from ball outlet 550c of ball launching unit 550 at the bottom of foul right opening 570b. Game balls B that enter foul unit 570A from the bottom of foul right opening 570b flow down onto bottom wall 573e, are guided rearward by the slope of bottom wall 573e, and are discharged from foul ball outlet 570c to the circulating ball path unit 600.

In this way, the foul unit 570A can collect game balls B that were launched from the ball launch unit 550 but did not land in the game area 5a of the game board 5 without leaking to the outside, and supply them to the circulating ball path unit 600. As will be described in detail later, the circulating ball path unit 600 detects game balls B supplied from the foul ball outlet 570c using the foul ball sensor 607. When this foul ball sensor 607 detects game ball B, one ball is added to the player's total number of balls.

In addition, the foul unit 570A's unit base 572, front cover 573, rear cover 574, etc. are made of transparent synthetic resin, so the interior can be seen from the outside, making it easy to detect ball jams inside.

[4-3b. Foul unit of the third embodiment]
Next, a foul unit 570 of a third embodiment will be described. The foul unit 570 of the third embodiment differs only in the opening and closing mechanism of the foul shutter 571, and other configurations are the same as the foul unit 570 described above. Although not shown, the foul unit 570 of the third embodiment is provided with an electric actuator such as a motor or solenoid for opening and closing the foul shutter 571. In this case, it is desirable to use a solenoid as the electric actuator because of the short operating time required, the need for high-speed response, and from the standpoint of cost.

In this embodiment, when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4 and the door open switch 507 is turned OFF, the electric actuator slides the foul shutter 571 to the closed position. As a result, even if a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550 with the door frame 3 open, the game ball B will not fly out through the foul upper opening 570a.

When the door frame 3 is closed and the door open switch 507 is turned ON, the electric actuator slides the foul shutter 571 to the open position, allowing the game ball B launched from the ball launching unit 550 to pass through the foul upper opening 570a and be shot into the game board 5.

In addition, even when the frame opening switch 508 is turned OFF by opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the fall shutter 571 may be slid to the closed position by the electric actuator. In this case, if the opening and closing process of the fall shutter 571 by the frame opening switch 508 is the same as the opening and closing process by the door opening switch 507 described above, the software configuration can be simplified.

In addition, an opening switch (not shown) can be provided that can detect the opening of both the door frame 3 and the main frame 4, and the fall shutter 571 can be opened and closed by an electric actuator, simplifying the mechanism for opening and closing.

Furthermore, this third embodiment of the foul unit 570 also operates during settlement. Details will be explained in the flowchart of Figure 75 and the timing chart of Figure 77, but here we will provide an overview.

When a player has finished playing and wishes to settle their balls, they press the counting button switch 180. When this button is pressed, the frame control board 740 begins the settlement process. The main part of the settlement process is to transfer data on the player's balls to the game ball lending device 8, but when the ball sending unit of the second embodiment and the ball launching unit 550A of the second embodiment are used, the number of balls held is deducted at the time the ball sending unit sends game ball B onto the launch rail (ball launch pad 552b) regardless of whether it is launched or not, so it is necessary to process game ball B on the launch rail (ball launch pad 552b).

Specifically, when the counting button switch 180 is pressed, the frame control board 740 performs a settlement process, turning the frame control launch permission flag OFF and the frame control forced launch flag ON. When the frame control launch permission flag is ON, the ball delivery solenoid 706 and launch solenoid 553 are driven in sequence to launch the game ball, but when the frame control forced launch flag is ON, the ball delivery solenoid 706 is not driven. Instead, the foul shutter drive solenoid 571d (see Figure 69) is driven, causing the foul shutter 571 to move to the closed position, and the launch solenoid 553 is driven with a weakened excitation voltage, resulting in a weaker launch. Note that this forced launch operation is only performed once when the frame control forced launch flag is ON.

As described above, when a weak shot is fired with the foul shutter 571 in the closed position, there may only be one game ball B on the launch rail (ball launch pad 552b), and the game ball B on the launch rail will definitely become a foul ball and be detected by the foul ball sensor 607. When the game ball B is detected by the foul ball sensor 607, it is added to the balls in hand, as shown in Figure 73. Naturally, even if a settlement process is performed and a forced launch is performed after game ball B has been launched normally, a foul ball will not be generated because there was no game ball B on the launch rail (ball launch pad 552b) in the first place, and it will not be added to the balls in hand.

When launching weakly, the lower limit of the launch strength is a strength that causes game ball B to fall off ball launch pad 552b (launch rail). Ideally, the launch strength should be such that game ball B that falls off launch pad 552b (launch rail) continues to roll and is quickly detected by foul ball sensor 607. Furthermore, the upper limit of the launch strength for forced launch when foul shutter 571 is not provided must be a launch strength that does not reach outer rail 1001, which is part of game board 5, to prevent the forced launch game ball B from being visible to the player and causing misunderstanding.

[4-4. Circulation ball path unit]
The circulation ball path unit 600 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 37 to 44. Figure 37(a) is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and Figure 37(b) is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. Figure 38 is an exploded perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from the front, and Figure 39 is an exploded perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from the rear. Figure 40(a) is a plan view showing only the ball serpentine member and ball removal shutter in the circulation ball path unit, and Figure 40(b) is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from the front. Figure 41 (a1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball removal shutter and ball serpentine member in the closed position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross section, (a2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the ball removal shutter portion in (a1) from the bottom, (b1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball removal shutter and ball serpentine member in the open position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross section, and (b2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the ball removal shutter portion in (b1) from the bottom.

Furthermore, Figure 42(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional front view of the circulating ball path unit cut at the location of the out ball sensor, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional front view of the circulating ball path unit cut at the location of the safe ball sensor. Figure 43(a) is an oblique view from the front showing an enlarged view of the lower part of the main body frame together with the outer frame with the serpentine cover of the circulating ball path unit removed, and (b) is an oblique view from the rear showing an enlarged view of the lower part of the main body frame together with the outer frame with the serpentine cover of the circulating ball path unit removed. Figure 44 is a plan view showing the ball serpentine member, serpentine cover, ball removal shutter, and gauge section in the circulating ball path unit.

The circulating ball path unit 600 stores multiple game balls B ejected from the game board 5 and game balls B collected by the foul unit 570, and sends the stored game balls B to the ball launching unit 550 via the ball lifting unit 650. The circulating ball path unit 600 is attached to the circulating ball path unit mounting portion 501l provided on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The circulating ball path unit 600 has an out ball receiving port 600a that is long on both sides and opens upward, a safe ball receiving port 600b that is located behind the out ball receiving port 600a and is long on both sides and opens upward, a foul ball receiving port 600c that opens at the front, and a ball release port 600d that opens to the right near the bottom end. The out ball receiving port 600a and safe ball receiving port 600b are designed with a depth in the front-to-back direction that is slightly wider than the diameter of a game ball B, and are designed to allow multiple game balls B to pass through in the left-to-right direction. The foul ball receiving port 600c and ball release port 600d are designed to be large enough to allow one game ball B to pass through each.

The out ball receiving port 600a receives game balls B (out balls) received in the out port of the game board 5. The safe ball receiving port 600b receives game balls B (safe balls) received in winning ports on the game board 5, such as the general winning port, starting port, or big winning port. The foul ball receiving port 600c receives game balls B (foul balls) discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c of the foul unit 570. The ball discharge port 600d releases game balls B received in the out ball receiving port 600a, safe ball receiving port 600b, and foul ball receiving port 600c and stored therein, and hands them over to the ball lifting unit 650.

The circulating ball path unit 600 also has an out ball passage 601 through which game balls B received in the out ball receiving port 600a circulate, a safe ball passage 602 through which game balls B received in the safe ball receiving port 600b circulate, a foul ball passage 603 through which game balls B received in the foul ball receiving port 600c circulate, and a ball serpentine passage 604 that is connected to the downstream ends of the out ball passage 601, safe ball passage 602, and foul ball passage 603, has a ball discharge port 600d at its downstream end, and is capable of storing a large number of game balls B.

Furthermore, the circulating ball path unit 600 has an out ball sensor 605 that detects each game ball B (out ball) circulating through the out ball path 601, a safe ball sensor 606 that detects each game ball B (safe ball) circulating through the safe ball path 602, and a foul ball sensor 607 that detects each game ball B (foul ball) circulating through the foul ball path 603. The safe ball sensor 606 is what is called a total winning slot sensor in conventional pachinko machines, and can be used to determine whether a prize has been won illegally by comparing it with the total number of winning balls in all winning slots.

The circulating ball path unit 600 comprises a flat ball receiving front plate 610, a front ball receiving member 611 attached to the rear side of the front ball receiving plate 610, and a rear ball receiving member 612 attached to the rear side of the front ball receiving member 611. A ball serpentine path 604 is provided below the front ball receiving plate 610, front ball receiving member 611, and rear ball receiving member 612.

The circulating ball path unit 600 also includes a ball serpentine member 613 that is located below the ball receiving front plate 610, the ball receiving front member 611, and the ball receiving rear member 612 and is open upward, a serpentine cover 614 that covers the top of the ball serpentine member 613, a ball removal shutter 615 for discharging game balls B from the ball serpentine member 613, a magnet 616 attached to the ball removal shutter 615, a circulating ball path relay board 617 attached to the rear side of the ball receiving front member 611, and a gauge section 620 attached to the serpentine cover 614.

The ball receiving front plate 610 extends to the left and right, and has a foul ball receiving opening 600c that penetrates from front to back near the bottom center in the left-right direction.

The front ball receiving member 611 cooperates with the front ball receiving plate 610 to form the out ball receiving opening 600a on its upper surface. The front ball receiving member 611 is formed with the out ball passage 601 and foul ball passage 603, which are open to the front, and the front sides of these are closed when the front ball receiving plate 610 is attached. The downstream end of the out ball passage 601 opens downward at the lower left end of the front ball receiving member 611. The opening at the downstream end of the out ball passage 601 is located in front of the opening at the downstream end of the safe ball passage 602. The downstream end of the foul ball passage 603 opens downward at a position on the front ball receiving member 611 below and to the right of the downstream end of the out ball passage 601.

The front ball receiving member 611 has an upper ball receiving plate portion 611a that slopes downward toward the right from midway along the vertical wall that forms the left edge of the out ball receiving opening 600a to near the center in the left-right direction; a lower ball receiving plate portion 611b that slopes downward toward the left from a section of the vertical wall that forms the right edge of the out ball receiving opening 600a below the upper ball receiving plate portion 611a to near the bottom of the left edge of the out ball receiving opening 600a; and a crank portion 611c that extends in a crank shape toward the bottom left from the left end of the lower ball receiving plate portion 611b, wide enough to allow game balls B to pass in a single file.

The height between the right end of the upper out ball receiving plate 611a and the lower out ball receiving plate 611b is approximately twice the diameter of the game ball B, and as a result, the height of the lower out ball receiving plate 611b on the left side is designed to decrease as it moves to the left. This allows the game balls B received in the out ball receiving opening 600a to be aligned in a single row.

The out ball sensor 605 is attached to a vertically extending portion of the crank portion 611c directly below the downstream end of the out ball receiving plate portion 611b.

In the front ball receiving member 611, the out ball passage 601 is formed by the upper out ball receiving plate portion 611a, the lower out ball receiving plate portion 611b, the crank portion 611c, etc. Therefore, the out ball passage 601 is formed wide on the upstream side so that it can receive many game balls B, and the received game balls B are aligned in a row and passed to the downstream ball serpentine passage 604 (ball serpentine member 613).

In addition, in the front ball receiving member 611, the foul ball passage 603 is located below the upper out ball receiving plate portion 611a and below the lower out ball receiving plate portion 611b, sloping downward to the left from the rear of the foul ball receiving opening 600c to a portion to the right of the left end of the lower out ball receiving plate portion 611b, and then extends downward a short distance. In the front ball receiving member 611, a foul ball sensor 607 is attached to the portion of the foul ball passage 603 extending to the left. This foul ball passage 603 is formed so that game balls B flow in a single file, and game ball B that flows through the foul ball passage 603 is handed over to a portion of the ball serpentine passage 604 (ball serpentine member 613) downstream of the portion where it is handed over from the out ball passage 601.

The front ball receiving member 611 has recesses 611d at the front edge of the upper out ball receiving plate portion 611a, the front edge of the lower out ball receiving plate portion 611b, and the front edge of the bottom wall extending to the left and right and forming the foul ball passage 603. These recesses 611d are recessed to a size that does not interfere with the flow of game balls B. These recesses 611d allow dust and debris from inside the out ball passage 601 and the foul ball passage 603 to be discharged to the outside.

In addition, a circulating ball path relay board 617 is attached to the rear surface of the front ball receiving member 611, behind the foul ball passage 603.

The rear ball receiving member 612 cooperates with the front ball receiving member 611 to form the safe ball receiving port 600b on its top surface. The rear ball receiving member 612 is formed with the safe ball passage 602 open to the front, and the front side of the safe ball passage 602 is closed when the front ball receiving member 611 is attached. The downstream end of the safe ball passage 602 opens downward at the lower left end of the rear ball receiving member 612. The opening at the downstream end of the safe ball passage 602 is located behind the opening at the downstream end of the out ball passage 601. In other words, the opening at the downstream end of the out ball passage 601 and the opening at the downstream end of the safe ball passage 602 are lined up front to back.

The rear ball receiving member 612 has an upper safe ball receiving plate portion 612a that slopes downward toward the right from midway along the vertical wall that forms the left edge of the safe ball receiving opening 600b to near the center in the left-right direction; a lower safe ball receiving plate portion 612b that slopes downward toward the left from a section of the vertical wall that forms the right edge of the safe ball receiving opening 600b below the upper safe ball receiving plate portion 612a to near the bottom of the left edge of the safe ball receiving opening 600b; and a crank portion 612c that extends in a crank shape toward the lower left from the left end of the lower safe ball receiving plate portion 612b, wide enough to allow game balls B to pass in a single file.

The height between the right end of the upper safe ball receiving plate 612a and the lower safe ball receiving plate 612b is approximately twice the diameter of the game ball B, and as a result, the height of the lower safe ball receiving plate 612b on the left side is designed to decrease as it moves to the left. This allows the game balls B received in the safe ball receiving opening 600b to be aligned in a single row.

The safe ball sensor 606 is attached to a vertically extending portion of the crank portion 612c directly below the downstream end of the safe ball receiving plate portion 612b.

In the post-ball receiving member 612, the safe ball passage 602 is formed by the upper safe ball receiving plate portion 612a, the lower safe ball receiving plate portion 612b, the crank portion 612c, etc. Therefore, the safe ball passage 602 is formed wide on the upstream side so that it can receive many game balls B, and the received game balls B are aligned in a row and handed over to the most upstream part of the downstream ball serpentine passage 604 (ball serpentine member 613).

The rear ball receiving member 612 has recesses 612d at the front edge of the upper safe ball receiving plate portion 612a and the front edge of the lower safe ball receiving plate portion 612b, which are recessed to a size that does not interfere with the flow of the game ball B. These recesses 612d allow dust, debris, etc. within the safe ball passage 602 to be discharged to the outside.

The ball serpentine member 613 snakes back and forth, extending left and right so that its right end is lower, forming a ball serpentine passage 604 capable of storing a large number of game balls B. As shown in Figure 40, etc., the ball serpentine member 613 comprises a first straight portion 613a that slopes downward toward the front, with its rear end as the upstream end; a first folded portion 613b that bends to the right from the downstream end (front end) of the first straight portion 613a and then bends further rearward; a second straight portion 613c that extends from the downstream end (rear end) of the first folded portion 613b to a position near the rear end of the first straight portion 613a, then slopes downward toward the rear; and a second straight portion 613c that bends to the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the second straight portion 613c and then slopes further rearward. a second folded portion 613d that is bent so as to become lower toward the front; a third straight portion 613e that extends from the downstream end (front end) of the second folded portion 613d to the same position as the front end of the second straight portion 613c so as to become lower toward the front; a third folded portion 613f that is bent from the downstream end (front end) of the third straight portion 613e to the right and then bent so as to become lower toward the rear; and a fourth straight portion 613g that extends from the downstream end (rear end) of the third folded portion 613f to the same position as the rear end of the third straight portion 613e so as to become lower toward the rear. a fourth folded portion 613h that is folded rightward from the downstream end (rear end) of the fourth straight portion 613g and then further folded forward to become lower; a fifth straight portion 613i that extends from the downstream end (front end) of the fourth folded portion 613h to the same position as the front end of the fourth straight portion 613g to become lower forward; a first folded portion 613j that is folded rightward from the downstream end (front end) of the fifth straight portion 613i; and a first lateral portion 613k that extends rightward from the downstream end (right end) of the first folded portion 613j to become lower. a second bent portion 613l that bends downward from the downstream end (right end) of the first lateral portion 613k, a sixth straight portion 613m that extends downward from the downstream end (rear end) of the second bent portion 613l to a position near the downstream end of the fifth straight portion 613i, a third bent portion 613n that bends downward to the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the sixth straight portion 613m, and a second lateral portion 613o that extends downward to the right from the downstream end (right end) of the third bent portion 613n. The opening at the downstream end of the second lateral portion 613o forms a ball discharge port 600d that opens to the right.

In the ball serpentine member 613 (ball serpentine passage 604), the opening at the downstream end of the safe ball passage 602 is located above the rear end of the first straight section 613a, and the opening at the downstream end of the out ball passage 601 is located in front of that. Furthermore, the opening at the downstream end of the foul ball passage 603 is located above the rear end of the second straight section 613c.

The ball serpentine member 613 also has a ball outlet 613p that penetrates the first horizontal section 613k from top to bottom, a pair of rail sections 613q that extend forward and backward along the left and right edges of the ball outlet 613p on the underside of the first horizontal section 613k and protrude downward, support pieces 613r that protrude toward each other from the bottom ends of the pair of rail sections 613q, locking sections 613s that are provided on the opposing side surfaces of the pair of rail sections 613q, and a plurality of slits 613t that penetrate the rolling surface (bottom surface) along which the game ball B rolls.

The ball removal opening 613p of the ball serpentine member 613 is closed and closable by the ball removal shutter 615, as will be described in detail below. A pair of rail portions 613q extend rearward beyond the ball removal opening 613p. The pair of rail portions 613q support the ball removal shutter 615 so that it can slide back and forth. Two support pieces 613r prevent the ball removal shutter 615 from falling. In addition, the two support pieces 613r protrude from their respective rail portions 613q at the ball removal opening 613p. This ensures that even if the weight of a game ball B acts on the ball removal shutter 615 through the ball removal opening 613p, the ball removal shutter 615 can be sufficiently supported and prevented from falling off. The locking portion 613s locks onto the locking protrusion 615f of the ball removal shutter 615, thereby holding the ball removal shutter 615 in the open position.

The slits 613t of the ball serpentine member 613 extend downward and are large enough not to interfere with the flow of the game ball B, allowing debris and dust to be expelled from the ball serpentine passage 604. The slits 613t located at turning points and bends are located on the outside of the curve.

The ball snaking member 613 is equipped with a circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and a circulating ball excess sensor 622 that can detect game balls B in circulation, as will be described in detail below.

This ball serpentine member 613 allows the formation of a ball serpentine passage 604 that snakes back and forth and extends left and right, lowering to the right. Furthermore, the ball serpentine member 613 has multiple turn-back portions (first turn-back portion 613b, second turn-back portion 613d, third turn-back portion 613f, fourth turn-back portion 613h) and multiple bends (first bend-back portion 613j, second bend-back portion 613l, third bend-back portion 613n), which can suppress the flow speed of the game ball B at these portions and mitigate the impact on the inlet side of the ball lifting unit 650.

The serpentine cover 614 is attached to the ball serpentine member 613 so as to cover the open upper end of the ball serpentine member 613. By attaching the serpentine cover 614 to the ball serpentine member 613, it is possible to prevent game balls B from leaking out from the ball serpentine member 613 (ball serpentine passage 604) and to prevent game balls B that are not compatible with this pachinko machine 1 or illegal game balls B from being inserted from outside.

The length of the portion of the serpentine cover 614 that extends forward and backward at its left end is shorter toward the rear than the first straight portion 613a of the ball serpentine member 613. As a result, when the serpentine cover 614 is attached to the ball serpentine member 613, the rear portion of the first straight portion 613a of the ball serpentine member 613 is opened upward, allowing communication with the out ball passage 601 and the safe ball passage 602 through this portion.

The serpentine cover 614 also has an opening 614a that penetrates vertically above the rear end of the second straight portion 613c of the ball serpentine member 613. Through this opening 614a, the foul ball passage 603 can communicate with the ball serpentine passage 604.

The ball removal shutter 615 is used to remove (discharge) game ball B (circulating game ball) from the circulating ball path unit 600, etc., and is attached to the underside of the ball serpentine member 613 so that it can slide back and forth. The ball removal shutter 615 has a flat door portion 615a capable of closing the ball removal opening 613p, a knob portion 615b extending up, down, left, and right from the front edge of the door portion 615a, a pair of rod portions 615c extending rearward from the rear ends of the door portion 615a on both sides, a connecting portion 615e connecting the pair of rod portions 615c at the rear of the door portion 615a to form an opening 615d that runs vertically through, locking protrusions 615f protruding from the outer surface of each of the pair of rod portions 615c between the connecting portion 615e and the rear end, hook portions 615g extending outward from the rear ends of the pair of rod portions 615c, and a magnet support portion 615h that protrudes cylindrically from the underside of the door portion 615a.

The magnet support portion 615h of the bulb shutter 615 can support a cylindrical magnet 616 by inserting the magnet 616 into the cylinder. The magnet support portion 615h is located upstream of the opening 615d. This magnet support portion 615h has a portion at its bottom end that protrudes into the cylinder and is open to the rear. By inserting the magnet 616 from the rear, the portion that protrudes downward of the magnet 616 is positioned, preventing the magnet 616 from falling out of the magnet support portion 615h.

When the ball-removing shutter 615 is attached to the ball-snake moving member 613, the pair of rail portions 613q of the ball-snake moving member 613 are located on the left and right outer sides of the door portion 615a and the pair of rod portions 615c, and the lower surface of the first horizontal portion 613k and the upper surfaces of the pair of support pieces 613r are located on the upper and lower sides of the door portion 615a and the pair of rod portions 615c. This allows the ball-removing shutter 615 to slide back and forth between the closed position and the open position, which will be described later.

As shown in Figures 41 (a1) and (a2), the ball removal shutter 615 is normally in a closed position, with the door portion 615a preventing game balls B from passing through the ball removal opening 613p. In this state, the rear surface of the knob portion 615b abuts against the front surface of the first horizontal portion 613k, and the pair of locking protrusions 615f abut against the rear end surfaces of the pair of rail portions 613q. This restricts the ball removal shutter 615 from moving forward and backward, and keeps it in the closed position. Therefore, when the ball removal shutter 615 is in the closed position, game balls B cannot be ejected from the ball removal opening 613p into the ball receiving tray 720 below (see Figure 20).

Furthermore, when the ball removal shutter 615 is in the closed position, the magnet support portion 615h (magnet 616) is located below and near the upstream end of the ball removal opening 613p. Details will be described later, but when an iron ball SB (see Figure 46) flows through the ball serpentine passage 604, the magnetic force of the magnet 616 causes the iron ball SB to be magnetically attracted to the door portion 615a, resulting in a ball jam, making it possible to detect the presence of an iron ball SB.

When the ball removal shutter 615 is in the closed position, pinching the knob portion 615b and pulling it forward causes the locking protrusion 615f on the rod portion 615c to come into strong contact with the rear end surface of the rail portion 613q. At this time, the force acting on the locking protrusion 615f causes the rod portion 615c to elastically deform inward, moving the locking protrusion 615f toward the inner surface of the rail portion 613q, causing the ball removal shutter 615 to slide forward from the closed position. When the locking protrusion 615f reaches the locking portion 613s, the elastic force of the rod portion 615c locks the locking protrusion 615f into the locking portion 613s, and the hook portion 615g on the rear end of the rod portion 615c approaches the rear end surface of the rail portion 613q. This restricts the ball removal shutter 615 from sliding forward any further.

In this state, as shown in Figures 41 (b1) and (b2), the opening 615d of the ball removal shutter 615 is aligned with the ball removal port 613p, allowing game balls B to pass through the ball removal port 613p. In other words, the ball removal shutter 615 is in the open position. When the ball removal shutter 615 is in the open position, game balls B upstream of the ball removal port 613p in the ball serpentine path 604 are discharged through the ball removal port 613p and opening 615d into the ball receiving tray 720 below. This makes it possible to remove circulating game balls B to the outside.

When game balls B accumulate in the ball receiving tray 720 and it becomes heavy, the ball receiving tray 720 rests on the bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f, which is sloped so that the front end is lower. The slope of the bottom wall causes the ball receiving tray 720 to attempt to slide forward, but the locking claws 501n prevent this forward sliding. In this state, when the locking claws 501n are released, the weight of the stored game balls B causes the ball receiving tray 720 to automatically slide forward, allowing the ball receiving tray 720 to be easily removed from the tray insertion recess 501f.

When the ball removal shutter 615 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the rear surface of the door frame 3 is close to the front surface of the knob portion 615b, and even if the ball removal shutter 615 attempts to slide forward for some reason, the knob portion 615b abuts the door frame 3, preventing it from sliding to the open position. This prevents circulating game balls B from accidentally falling out and getting lost, and prevents illegal game balls B from being mixed in through the ball removal opening 613p.

Magnet 616 is cylindrical and can be inserted into magnet support portion 615h of ball removal shutter 615. This magnet 616 is used to attract iron ball SB. Magnet 616 is made of a material with strong magnetic force, such as a neodymium magnet.

However, if the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment coexists with conventional pachinko machines that allow players to touch game balls (iron balls SB) in an amusement hall or the like, there is a risk that iron balls SB may become mixed in when the game balls B are replenished or replaced during maintenance of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment.

In contrast, in this pachinko machine 1, if an iron ball SB gets mixed in, the ball removal shutter 615 is equipped with a magnet 616. As the iron ball SB flows through the ball serpentine path 604, the magnetic force of the magnet 616 causes the iron ball SB to be magnetically attracted to the upper surface of the door portion 615a of the ball removal shutter 615 in the closed position, causing it to stop. Because a strong magnetic force is used in this case, even if a large number of game balls B accumulate upstream of the magnetically attracted iron ball SB, exerting a force pushing it downstream, the iron ball SB will not move from the upper surface of the door portion 615a.

When the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the door portion 615a (magnet 616) of the ball removal shutter 615 in the ball serpentine passage 604 and game balls B continue to be launched from the ball launch unit 550, game balls B downstream of the magnetically attached iron ball SB are sequentially consumed, and the consumed (launched) game balls B are sequentially supplied upstream of the iron ball SB. Therefore, the low circulating ball sensor 621 and lifting inlet sensor 653, etc., located downstream of the ball removal shutter 615, turn off game ball B detection, while the excessive circulating ball sensor 622, out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, etc., located upstream of the ball removal shutter 615, turn on game ball B detection. This allows the occurrence of a ball jam between the low circulating ball sensor 621, etc. and the excessive circulating ball sensor 622, etc. to be detected and reported. In other words, it is possible to detect that the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the door portion 615a.

When the ball removal shutter 615 is slid from the closed position to the forward open position while the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a of the ball removal shutter 615 by the magnetic force of the magnet 616, the front end of the iron ball SB magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a abuts against the front wall of the first horizontal section 613k, preventing the iron ball SB from moving forward. When the magnet 616 moves forward beyond the front wall of the first horizontal section 613k, the magnetic force acting on the iron ball SB weakens, causing the iron ball SB to begin rolling downstream. At this time, the opening 615d of the ball removal shutter 615 is aligned with the ball removal opening 613p, allowing the game ball B to pass through the ball removal opening 613p. Therefore, the iron ball SB can be discharged from the ball removal opening 613p into the ball receiving tray 720 below, and can be removed from the ball serpentine path 604.

The circulating ball path relay board 617 is attached to the rear of the front ball receiving member 611, behind the foul ball passage 603, and below the out ball receiving plate portion 611b of the rear ball receiving member 612. The circulating ball path relay board 617 relays the connections between the out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, low circulating ball sensor 621, and high circulating ball sensor 622 and the frame control board 740, which will be described later.

The gauge section 620 indicates an appropriate amount region of a predetermined length in the flow direction of the ball serpentine passage 604 in the ball serpentine member 613. Here, the appropriate amount is defined as the state in which the rear end of the row of game balls B stored in a line is hanging over the gauge section 620. The gauge section 620 allows the appropriate amount of game balls B (circulating balls) to be visually confirmed, and is formed from a transparent sticker with a colored portion. This gauge section 620 is affixed to the top surface of the serpentine cover 614. More specifically, it is affixed to the top surface of the serpentine cover 614 at a location upstream of the first horizontal section 613k of the ball serpentine member 613. As shown in Figure 44, this gauge section 620 has letters and symbols (arrows) indicating the appropriate range (appropriate amount region) of the amount of game balls B stored.

The gauge section 620 is composed of three seals: an upper gauge seal 620a attached to the upper portion of the third straight section 613e and the third folded section 613f of the spherical serpentine member 613; a middle gauge seal 620b attached to the upper portion of the fourth straight section 613g; and a lower gauge seal 620c attached to the upper portion of the fifth straight section 613i and the first bent section 613j.

The upper gauge seal 620a is marked (displayed) with a line extending left and right near the center of the third straight section 613e in the front-to-rear direction, an arrow with a rod portion extending downstream (forward) of the line, with the tip of the arrow portion pointing toward the line and along the passage to the downstream end of the third turning section 613f, and the words "Up to here" written (displayed) downstream and to the right of the arrow portion of the arrow.

The middle gauge seal 620b has a rod-shaped portion extending rearward (downstream) to connect with the rod portion of the arrow on the upper gauge seal 620a, and the words "appropriate range" are written near the upstream end of the rod-shaped portion.

The lower gauge seal 620c is marked (displayed) with a line extending back and forth at the downstream end of the first bend 613j, an arrow with a rod portion extending upstream of the line, with the tip of the arrow pointing toward the line, along the passage to the upstream end of the fifth straight section 613i, and the words "From here" written (displayed) upstream and to the right of the arrow portion of the arrow.

When viewing the gauge section 620 during maintenance, etc., if no game balls B can be seen in the area of the gauge section 620 (appropriate amount area), that is, the area between the line of the upper gauge seal 620a and the line of the lower gauge seal 620c, it can be determined that there are fewer game balls B than appropriate. To replenish game balls B, insert game balls B into the outlet 1008 of the game board 5, or into the out ball receiving port 600a or safe ball receiving port 600b, until the appropriate amount is reached.

On the other hand, when looking at the gauge section 620, if game balls B can be seen in all parts of the gauge section 620, that is, if the rear end of the row of game balls B is upstream of the "up to here" part (the line of the upper gauge seal 620a), it can be determined that there are more game balls B than appropriate. If there are too many game balls B, the ball removal shutter 615 can be pulled forward and slid to the open position, which will eject the game balls B in the ball serpentine path 604 from the ball removal opening 613p and bring the amount to an appropriate level.

In this way, the gauge unit 620 of this embodiment makes it possible to determine at a glance whether the stored game balls B are appropriate (the right amount), and also makes it easier to maintain the amount of stored game balls B at the right amount.

In the above embodiment, the gauge section 620 is shown as a sticker attached to the serpentine cover 614, but the appropriate amount area may be colored a different color from the other areas, or the gauge section 620 may be molded in a different color, or the gauge section 620 may have colored lines drawn at the downstream and upstream ends of the appropriate amount area.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the gauge section 620 is shown to be located upstream of the ball removal shutter 615, but this is not limited to this. As shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 67, the downstream end of the gauge section 620 may be located downstream of the ball removal shutter 615 and upstream of the low circulating ball sensor 621.

In this embodiment, the ball circulation path unit 600 has a ball receiving front plate 610, a ball receiving front member 611, a ball receiving rear member 612, a ball serpentine member 613, and a serpentine cover 614, all made of transparent synthetic resin. Therefore, the internal condition can be seen from the outside.

The circulating ball path unit 600 is installed with the out ball sensor 605 and foul ball sensor 607 sandwiched between the ball receiving front plate 610 and the ball receiving front member 611, and the safe ball sensor 606 sandwiched between the ball receiving front member 611 and the ball receiving rear member 612. The out ball sensor 605 and safe ball sensor 606 are arranged side by side, front to back.

The out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, insufficient circulating ball sensor 621, and excessive circulating ball sensor 622 detect game ball B non-contact by, for example, detecting changes in induced current.

The circulating ball path unit 600 is attached to the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501 from the rear. When assembled to the main body frame 4, the out ball receiving port 600a and the safe ball receiving port 600b are attached at the same height as the top surface of the base wall portion 501b and in contact with the rear edge of the top surface of the base wall portion 501b.

In addition, when assembled to the main body frame 4, the circulation ball path unit 600 is attached so that the ball sending unit 700 is positioned between it and the base wall portion 501b.

Furthermore, when the circulation ball path unit 600 is assembled to the main body frame 4, the portions of the ball serpentine member 613 and serpentine cover 614 forward of the center in the fore-and-aft direction protrude forward, penetrating from the rear through the ball storage path insertion port 501g provided in the base wall portion 501b. As a result, when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main body frame 4, the game balls B in the ball serpentine member 613 (ball serpentine path 604) can be seen from the front (external).

Furthermore, when the circulation ball path unit 600 is assembled to the main body frame 4 and the frame base unit 730 is opened to the rear, the interior of the out ball path 601, safe ball path 602, foul ball path 603, and the area behind the base wall portion 501b in the ball serpentine path 604 can be seen from behind. As a result, when a ball jam occurs, the inside of the out ball path 601, etc. can be checked by opening the frame base unit 730, making it easier to identify the location of the jam.

Furthermore, when the circulating ball path unit 600 is assembled to the main body frame 4, the second horizontal section 613o of the ball serpentine member 613 is located behind the base wall section 501b and below the ball launching unit 550. In other words, the circulating ball path unit 600 has a ball discharge port 600d that opens to the right behind the base wall section 501b and at a lower position than the ball launching unit 550. This ball discharge port 600d is connected to the ball lifting inlet passage 651 of the ball lifting unit 650, which will be described later.

The circulating ball path unit 600 of this embodiment has a circulating ball shortage sensor 621 for detecting when there are too few stored game balls B (circulating balls), and a circulating ball excess sensor 622 for detecting when there are too many stored game balls B (circulating balls) (see Figure 67).

The low circulating ball sensor 621 is located downstream of the gauge section 620 in the ball serpentine path 604. The low circulating ball sensor 621 may also be located upstream of the ball removal shutter 615. The excess circulating ball sensor 622 is located near the upstream end of the gauge section 620 in the ball serpentine path 604. The low circulating ball sensor 621 and excess circulating ball sensor 622 are connected to the frame control board 740 via the circulating ball path relay board 617.

As will be explained in more detail below, when there is an appropriate amount of game balls B, the under-circulating ball sensor 621 detects game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more, and the excess circulating ball sensor 622 does not detect game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more. When there are too few game balls B, neither the under-circulating ball sensor 621 nor the excess circulating ball sensor 622 detects game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more. On the other hand, when there are too many game balls B, both the under-circulating ball sensor 621 and the excess circulating ball sensor 622 detect game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more. Furthermore, if the insufficient circulating ball sensor 621 does not detect game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more, and the excessive circulating ball sensor 622 detects game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more, then a ball jam, including the inclusion of iron balls SB, has occurred between the insufficient circulating ball sensor 621 and the excessive circulating ball sensor 622.

Here, we explain the reason for the predetermined time k of 80 ms as the threshold for detecting the presence or absence of game ball B. For example, along circulation path R, sensors such as circulating ball excess sensor 622, circulating ball shortage sensor 621, lifting inlet sensor 653, lifting outlet sensor 654, and launch pre-sensor sensor 704 are located at the same positions where game ball B stops when the ball lifting unit 650 and ball sending unit 700 are stopped. This is the position where the next game ball B will be located each time a game ball B is sent. Therefore, game ball B is detected here by checking whether it has been detected for 80 ms or more. This is because it takes about 50 ms to detect a game ball B rolling on a slope with an incline of about 5 degrees, so a margin is added to ensure that game ball B is present at that position, and detection is performed at 80 ms to ensure reliable detection. In other words, the value of 80 ms is a practical value obtained through experimentation.

In this way, by combining the detection states of game balls B by the low circulating ball sensor 621 and the high circulating ball sensor 622, the frame control board 740 can automatically determine and report the amount of game balls B, ball clogging, etc.

In the above embodiment, a low circulating ball sensor 621 and an excess circulating ball sensor 622 are provided, but the low circulating ball sensor 621 may be replaced with the lift inlet sensor described below, and the excess circulating ball sensor 622 may be replaced with the out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, or foul ball sensor 607.

[4-4a. Ball jamming elimination mechanism]
Next, the circulating ball path unit 600 may be provided with a ball jam elimination mechanism 630, as shown in Figure 45, to facilitate the elimination of ball jams in the out ball sensor 605 and the safe ball sensor 606. Figure 45(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the essential parts of the rear cross section of the circulating ball path unit attached to the main body frame, cut at the out ball sensor with the cover member of the ball elimination mechanism closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in (a) with the cover member open.

The ball jam elimination mechanism 630 is configured by replacing the wall above the out ball sensor 605 and safe ball sensor 606 in the front ball receiving member 611 and rear ball receiving member 612 of the circulating ball path unit 600 with an openable and closable lid member 631. As shown in Figure 45(a), the lid member 631 is normally closed. The lid member 631 is held closed by a locking claw (not shown).

This ball jamming elimination mechanism 630 is used to eliminate jams that occur in the out ball passage 601 or safe ball passage 602, or when a fraudulent ball B' with a larger diameter than the game ball B is inserted as a fraudulent act, blocking the out ball sensor 605, etc.

For example, if a rogue ball B', which is larger in diameter than game ball B, is inserted through outlet 1008 of the game board 5, blocking the out ball sensor 605, opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 and then opening the frame base unit 730 will reveal the rear of the circulating ball path unit 600. In this embodiment, a gap large enough to insert a finger is formed between the portion of the circulating ball path unit 600 where the ball jamming elimination mechanism 630 is located and the box main body 504b of the main frame speaker box 504. Therefore, the locking claw of the lid member 631 can be released through this gap, and the lid member 631 can be opened by rotating it so that the bottom end of the lid member 631 moves upward (see Figure 45(b)).

By opening the cover member 631, a finger can be inserted into the area above the out ball sensor 605 in the out ball passage 601, making it easy to remove the illegal ball B' blocking the out ball sensor 605. In this way, the illegal ball B' can be easily removed without having to remove the circulation ball passage unit 600, which is screwed in place using a screwdriver.

In addition, even if the safe ball sensor 606 is blocked by the illegal ball B', the illegal ball B' can be removed using the same procedure as above.

In the above, the ball jamming elimination mechanism 630 is shown to have an openable and closable lid member 631, but, for example, elastic claws may be provided on the rear ball receiving member 612 and the front ball receiving member 611, and the rear ball receiving member 612 and the front ball receiving member 611 may be attached and detached rearward by engaging the elastic claws. In this case, under normal conditions, the frame base unit 730 is located behind the circulating ball path unit 600, and even if the elastic claws loosen, the rear ball receiving member 612 and the front ball receiving member 611 will not come off rearward. If the out ball sensor 605 is blocked by a stray ball B', opening the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2 and then opening the frame base unit 730 will reveal the rear of the circulating ball path unit 600. By releasing the elastic claws that attach the rear ball receiving member 612 and front ball receiving member 611, the rear ball receiving member 612 and front ball receiving member 611 can be easily removed, and the stray ball B' blocking the out ball sensor 605 can be easily removed.

Alternatively, the ball jamming elimination mechanism 630 may be configured so that the portion above the out ball sensor 605 on the front ball receiving member 611, which is sandwiched between the front ball receiving plate 610 and the rear ball receiving member 612, can be slid upward and removed. In this case, under normal conditions, the game board 5 is located above the circulating ball path unit 600, and gravity prevents the slidable portion of the front ball receiving member 611 from moving upward. If the out ball sensor 605 is blocked by a stray ball B', opening the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 and removing the game board 5 from the main frame 4 will reveal the top of the circulating ball path unit 600, allowing the slidable portion of the front ball receiving member 611 to be slid upward and removed, easily removing the stray ball B' blocking the out ball sensor 605.

[4-4b. Second embodiment of bulb removal shutter]
Next, in the circulating ball path unit 600, as shown in Figure 46, the magnet 616 may be attached to the ball removal shutter 615 in a portion forward of the opening 615d. Figure 46(a) is an explanatory side cross-sectional view of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray with the iron ball magnetically attached to the ball removal shutter in the closed position, Figure 46(b) is an explanatory side cross-sectional view of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray with the iron ball magnetically attached to the ball removal shutter in the open position, and Figure 46(c) is an explanatory side cross-sectional view of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray with the ball removal shutter slid from the state shown in Figure 46(b) to the closed position with the iron ball magnetically attached to the underside. In this ball removal shutter 615, the rear end of the outer circumferential surface of the magnet 616 supported by the magnet support portion 615h is aligned with the front inner circumferential surface of the opening 615d.

As shown in Figure 46(a), with the ball shutter 615 of the second embodiment, when the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a of the ball shutter 615 by the magnetic force of the magnet 616, and the ball shutter 615 is slid forward from the closed position to the open position, the front end of the iron ball SB magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a abuts against the front wall of the first horizontal portion 613k, preventing the iron ball SB from moving forward. Then, when the ball shutter 615 slides further forward, the door portion 615a that was supporting the lower end of the iron ball SB disappears, and the iron ball SB moves downward into the opening 615d due to gravity. At this time, the rear end of the outer periphery of the magnet 616 is aligned with the inner front surface of the opening 615d, so the iron ball SB becomes magnetically attached to the outer periphery of the magnet 616 (see Figure 46(b)).

The iron ball SB attempts to move from the outer periphery of the magnet 616 toward the pole with the strongest magnetic force (here, the bottom end face), but when the ball removal shutter 615 is in the open position, the top face of the ball receiving tray 720 is located below the magnet 616, so the iron ball SB does not move below the magnet 616. Therefore, when the ball removal shutter 615 is slid to the open position, the iron ball B is located in a position overlapping with the opening 615d, and the game balls B upstream of the iron ball SB are not discharged downward through the opening 615d, i.e., the ball removal opening 613p.

After sliding the ball removal shutter 615 to the open position, when the ball removal shutter 615 is slid rearward to the closed position, the door portion 615a prevents the game ball B upstream of the iron ball SB from passing through the ball removal opening 613p, while the iron ball SB that was magnetized on the outer periphery of the magnet 616 moves to the underside of the magnet 616, where it is magnetically attached to the underside of the magnet 616 (see Figure 46 (c)). The ball receiving tray 720 is then pulled out and removed from the tray insertion recess 501f, and the iron ball SB that is magnetically attached to the underside of the magnet 616 is removed.

In this way, when the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the door portion 615a of the ball removal shutter 615 by the magnet 616, by sliding the ball removal shutter 615 back and forth, only the magnetically attached iron ball SB can be removed to the outside through the ball serpentine passage 604.

[4-4c. Spherical serpentine member of the second embodiment]
Next, the ball serpentine member 613A of the second embodiment in the circulating ball path unit 600 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 47 to 49. Figure 47(a) is a plan view of the ball serpentine member of the second embodiment, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball serpentine member of the second embodiment viewed from the front. Figure 48(a) is an enlarged perspective view of the surplus ball discharge mechanism of the ball serpentine member of the second embodiment, and (b) is an enlarged plan view of the surplus ball discharge mechanism of the ball serpentine member of the second embodiment. Figure 49(a) is a cross-sectional view of the surplus ball discharge mechanism of the ball serpentine member of the second embodiment taken midway in the front-to-rear direction, and (b) is a right-side cross-sectional view of the ball serpentine member of the second embodiment taken at a position to the right of the installation portion of the surplus ball discharge mechanism.

The ball serpentine member 613A of the second embodiment has the same configuration as the ball serpentine member 613 of the first embodiment, except that it is equipped with an excess ball discharge mechanism 640. Components with the same configuration as the ball serpentine member 613 of the first embodiment will be described using the same reference numerals. Similar to the ball serpentine member 613 of the first embodiment, this ball serpentine member 613A is equipped with a ball removal shutter 615 for removing game balls B from the ball serpentine passage 604, and a serpentine cover 614 that covers the ball serpentine member 613A from above. Furthermore, a gauge section 620 consisting of an upper gauge seal 620a, a middle gauge seal 620b, and a lower gauge seal 620c is provided on the upper surface of the serpentine cover 614 (see Figure 44).

The ball serpentine member 613A extends left and right, serpentine back and forth, with the right end lower, forming a ball serpentine passage 604 capable of storing a large number of game balls B. As shown in Figure 47 and other figures, the spherical serpentine member 613A comprises a first straight portion 613a that slopes downward toward the front, with its rear portion as the upstream end; a first folded portion 613b that bends to the right from the downstream end (front end) of the first straight portion 613a and then bends further rearward; a second straight portion 613c that extends from the downstream end (rear end) of the first folded portion 613b to a position near the rear end of the first straight portion 613a and then bends rearward; a second folded portion 613d that bends to the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the second straight portion 613c and then bends further forward; and a third straight portion 613e that extends from the downstream end (front end) of the second folded portion 613d and then bends forward to the same position as the front end of the second straight portion 613c.

The spherical serpentine member 613A also includes a third folded portion 613f that bends to the right from the downstream end (front end) of the third straight portion 613e and then bends further rearward and lower; a fourth straight portion 613g that extends from the downstream end (rear end) of the third folded portion 613f to the same position as the rear end of the third straight portion 613e and then bends rearward and lower; a fourth folded portion 613h that bends to the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the fourth straight portion 613g and then bends forward and lower; and a fifth straight portion 613i that extends from the downstream end (front end) of the fourth folded portion 613h to the same position as the front end of the fourth straight portion 613g and then bends forward and lower.

Furthermore, the spherical serpentine member 613A includes a first bent portion 613j that bends downward to the right from the downstream end (front end) of the fifth straight portion 613i, a first lateral portion 613k that extends downward to the right from the downstream end (right end) of the first bent portion 613j, a second bent portion 613l that bends downward to the rear from the downstream end (right end) of the first lateral portion 613k, a sixth straight portion 613m that extends downward to the rear from the downstream end (rear end) of the second bent portion 613l to a position near the downstream end of the fifth straight portion 613i, a third bent portion 613n that bends downward to the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the sixth straight portion 613m, and a second lateral portion 613o that extends downward to the right from the downstream end (right end) of the third bent portion 613n. The opening at the downstream end of the second horizontal section 613o forms the ball discharge port 600d, which opens to the right.

In the ball serpentine member 613A, the downstream opening of the safe ball passage 602 is located above the rear end of the first straight section 613a, and the downstream opening of the out ball passage 601 is located in front of it. Furthermore, the downstream opening of the foul ball passage 603 is located above the rear end of the second straight section 613c. In other words, the out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, and foul ball sensor 607 are located upstream of the ball serpentine member 613A.

The ball serpentine member 613A also has a ball outlet 613p that penetrates the first horizontal section 613k from top to bottom, and multiple slits 613t that penetrate the rolling surface (bottom surface) along which the game ball B rolls. Furthermore, although not shown in detail, the ball serpentine member 613A also has a pair of rails 613q that extend forward and backward along the left and right edges of the ball outlet 613p on the underside of the first horizontal section 613k and protrude downward, support pieces 613r that protrude toward each other from the bottom ends of each of the pair of rails 613q, and locking portions 613s that are provided on the opposing side surfaces of the pair of rails 613q (see Figure 41).

The ball removal opening 613p of the ball serpentine member 613A is closed and closable by the ball removal shutter 615, similar to the ball serpentine member 613 of the first embodiment. A pair of rail portions 613q extend rearward from the ball removal opening 613p. The pair of rail portions 613q support the ball removal shutter 615 so that it can slide back and forth. Two support pieces 613r prevent the ball removal shutter 615 from falling. In addition, the two support pieces 613r protrude from their respective rail portions 613q at the ball removal opening 613p. This ensures that even if the weight of a game ball B acts on the ball removal shutter 615 through the ball removal opening 613p, the ball removal shutter 615 can be sufficiently supported and prevented from falling off. The locking portion 613s locks onto the locking protrusion 615f of the ball removal shutter 615, thereby holding the ball removal shutter 615 in the open position.

The slits 613t in the ball serpentine member 613A extend downward and are large enough not to interfere with the flow of the game ball B, allowing debris and dust to be expelled from the ball serpentine passage 604. The slits 613t located at the turning and bending sections are located on the outside of the curve.

As shown in Figure 47, the ball serpentine member 613A is provided with a surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 from the middle of the second turning section 613d to the third straight section 613e. The surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 automatically discharges the excess game balls B into the ball receiving tray 720 below when more game balls B than the appropriate amount are supplied (replenished) to the circulating ball path unit 600, thereby adjusting the amount (number) of game balls B to the appropriate amount.

More specifically, the surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 comprises a passage dividing section 641 that divides the ball serpentine passage 604 into a downstream first passage section 604a and an upstream second passage section 604b, a bridge section 642 that connects the first passage section 604a and the second passage section 604b across the passage dividing section 641, a widening section 643 provided near the bridge section 642 in the first passage section 604a, and an alignment section 644 provided in a location near the bridge section 642 in the second passage section 604b.

The passage dividing section 641 is provided at the third straight section 613e of the ball serpentine passage 604, and divides the ball serpentine passage 604 at a distance longer than the diameter D of the game ball B in the flow direction of the game ball B (for example, a distance 1 to 2 times the diameter D of the game ball B). The passage dividing section 641 is open downward, and the side walls on both sides are composed of the side walls of the second straight section 613c and the side walls of the fourth straight section 613g. In other words, the passage dividing section 641 penetrates downward through the bottom wall of the ball serpentine passage 604. Furthermore, the upper part of the passage dividing section 641 is covered by the serpentine cover 614. Therefore, the passage dividing section 641 allows the game ball B to be discharged only downward.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted, above the downstream end of the passage dividing section 641 (the upstream end of the first passage section 604a) is located the line extending to the left and right on the upstream side of the words "Up to here" on the upper gauge seal 620a. In other words, the upstream end of the first passage section 604a is the upper limit of the appropriate amount of game balls B to be stored.

The bridge portion 642 connects the first passage portion 604a and the second passage portion 604b in a bridge-like manner, spanning the passage dividing portion 641, and is provided so that the game ball B can roll on its upper surface. The bridge portion 642 extends with a width smaller than the diameter D of the game ball B (for example, 1/4 to 1/2 the width of the diameter D). A guide groove 642a is provided on the upper surface (rolling surface) of this bridge portion 642, extending to connect the first passage portion 604a and the second passage portion 604b. The guide groove 642a is formed in a V-shape with a slight recess in the center. This allows the game balls B to gather in the center of the width of the bridge portion 642, making it less likely that the game balls B will spill out of the single-bridge-shaped bridge portion 642.

As shown in Figure 48, etc., the upstream end of guide groove 642a extends from bridge portion 642 toward the inside of second passage portion 604b. More specifically, guide groove 642a extends upstream from bridge portion 642 to near the boundary between third straight portion 613e and second turning portion 613d, partially overlapping alignment portion 644, described below. This guide groove 642a is located higher than the bottom surface of third straight portion 613e (second passage portion 604b), and is smoothly connected to gradually rise higher from the bottom surface, with an incline higher than the bottom surface of third straight portion 613e, to prevent game ball B from bouncing off the step at the upstream end.

The widened portion 643 of the first passage portion 604a is wider than the downstream width of the first passage portion 604a (for example, 1.1 to 1.2 times the downstream width). The width of the widened portion 643 is set to no more than twice the diameter D of the game ball B, preferably no more than 1.5 times. This makes it possible to prevent ball jamming at the widened portion 643. The length of the widened portion 643 in the direction of flow of the game ball B is approximately the length of one game ball B. This widened portion 643 makes it easier for game balls B rolling through the bridge portion 642 to be received by the first passage portion 604a.

The downstream end of the widened section 643 in the first passage section 604a (the boundary between the widened section 643 and the downstream side) is connected by a smooth curve to avoid sharp corners. This prevents game balls B that enter the first passage section 604a through the erected section 642 from bouncing back toward the erected section 642, and prevents game balls B that bounce back from falling through the passage dividing section 641, thereby reducing the amount (number) of game balls B circulating (stored).

The alignment section 644 of the second passage section 604b is provided in a range of length from near the center of the second turning section 613d to midway through the third straight section 613e, and is capable of aligning game balls B in a single line. This alignment section 644 is formed with a V-shaped cross section (an inverted trapezoidal shape tapering downward) so that it contacts the game ball B at two points below the center of the game ball B. As a result, the alignment section 644 restricts the movement of game balls B in the width direction of the second passage section 604b, allowing them to flow down (circulate) in a single line.

The linear portion of the alignment section 644 up to the passage dividing section 641 in the third straight section 613e overlaps with the portion of the guide groove 642a extending upstream from the top surface of the bridge section 642. As shown in Figure 48, the upstream end of this alignment section 644 rises smoothly from the bottom surface of the first passage section 604a so that there is no step (edge) at the boundary. Furthermore, the downstream end of the alignment section 644, from where it begins to overlap with the guide groove 642a to the downstream end, bends downward toward the bottom surface of the third straight section 613e so that game balls B in contact with the V-shaped inclined surface gradually approach the guide groove 642a. This allows game balls B to be delivered from the alignment section 644 to the guide groove 642a without bouncing, and the flow velocity (distribution speed) of game balls B does not decrease in the alignment section 644 and the guide groove 642a.

Here, we will briefly explain the ball receiving tray 720 located below the ball serpentine member 613A, although details will be provided later. The ball receiving tray 720 is located below the circulating ball path unit 600 and is intended to receive game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600, and can also receive game balls B that have fallen from the erection section 642 of the surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 and been discharged from the path dividing section 641.

As shown in Figure 48, the ball receiving tray 720, which is located below the ball serpentine member 613A, has a sloped bottom wall so that the front left end is lowest. The path dividing section 641 of the surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 is located to the left of the center of the ball receiving tray 720 in the left-right direction and towards the rear of the center in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, when a game ball B is discharged from the path dividing section 641 and falls onto the bottom wall of the ball receiving tray 720, it rolls toward the front left end due to the slope of the bottom wall and moves from directly below the path dividing section 641.

The bottom wall of this ball receiving tray 720 is formed in an upright shape and does not come into contact with the bottom surface of the tray insertion recess 501f. As a result, when a game ball B falls and hits the bottom wall of the ball receiving tray 720, the bottom wall acts like a drum, making a sound to alert the player that the game ball B has fallen.

Next, we will explain the operation of the surplus ball discharge mechanism 640. This surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 is designed to automatically discharge any game balls B that are replenished in excess of the appropriate amount into the ball receiving tray 720 below when game balls B are replenished during maintenance, etc., to prevent an excess of game balls B from being stored.

First, we will explain the flow of game balls B circulating within this pachinko machine 1 at the surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 within the circulation ball path unit 600. Game balls B stored in the serpentine ball path 604 (first path section 604a) of the circulation ball path unit 600 pass through the ball lifting inlet path 651 of the ball lifting unit 650, are lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660, and are sent to the ball sending unit 700 through the ball lifting outlet path 652. Game balls B are then sent from the ball sending unit 700 to the ball launching unit 550, and are launched from the ball launching unit 550 toward the playing area 5a of the game board 5 by operating the handle 160 by the player.

A game ball B that is launched from the ball launching unit 550, reaches the play area 5a, and enters a winning hole provided in the play area 5a is discharged from the game board 5 as a safe ball. The safe ball is then received by the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulating ball path unit 600, detected by the safe ball sensor 606 in the safe ball path 602, and then sent to the ball serpentine path 604. On the other hand, a game ball B that reaches the play area 5a but is not accepted by a winning hole is discharged from the game board 5 as an out ball. The out ball is then received by the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulating ball path unit 600, detected by the out ball sensor 605 in the out ball path 601, and then sent to the ball serpentine path 604. Furthermore, a game ball B that is launched from the ball launching unit 550 but does not reach the play area 5a is discharged from the foul unit 570 as a foul ball. The foul ball is then received by the foul ball receiving port 600c of the circulating ball path unit 600, detected by the foul ball sensor 607 in the foul ball path 603, and then sent to the ball serpentine path 604.

Game balls B sent into the ball serpentine passage 604 formed by the ball serpentine member 613A first flow through the second passage section 604b. Then, as game balls B flow down the second passage section 604b, their movement (oscillation) in the width direction of the second passage section 604b is restricted by the alignment section 644 of the surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 located near the downstream end of the second passage section 604b, causing them to flow down along the central axis of the second passage section 604b.

When game ball B enters alignment section 644 of surplus ball discharge mechanism 640, alignment section 644, which is a V-shaped groove, is raised so that there is no step from the bottom surface of second fold section 613d. This prevents game ball B from bouncing at the boundary with alignment section 644, and allows game ball B to smoothly enter alignment section 644 without reducing its circulation speed.

When game ball B enters alignment section 644, it flows down while contacting a pair of inclined slopes of the V-shaped groove, and at the third straight section 613e in alignment section 644, the direction of travel of game ball B is corrected to be straight toward erection section 642. The game ball B is then handed over from alignment section 644 to guide groove 642a, and due to its straightness, flows straight down along the central axis of erection section 642 without falling off erection section 642, and is handed over from second passage section 604b to first passage section 604a across passage dividing section 641. This allows game balls B to circulate without reducing the number of game balls B stored (enclosed) within pachinko machine 1.

Next, we will explain the operation of the surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 when replenishing game balls B in the pachinko machine 1 (circulation ball path unit 600) for maintenance, etc. When replenishing game balls B, for example, the door frame 3 is opened and the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4. The ball lifting mechanism 660 of the ball lifting unit 650 is stopped, and the game balls B to be replenished are then inserted into the out ball receiving port 600a or the safe ball receiving port 600b, which are open upward on the bottom surface of the game board insertion section 502. Note that when the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4, if a game ball B to be replenished is inserted into the out port 1008 of the game board 5, the game ball B is received in the out ball receiving port 600a. Furthermore, if a game ball B to be replenished is inserted into a winning port such as the general winning port 2001 or the first starting port 2003, the game ball B is received in the safe ball receiving port 600b.

When replenishing game balls B as described above, the power supply (power switch 751) is turned OFF, and game balls B are inserted through the outlet 1008 or winning port of the game board 5. As the power supply is turned OFF, even if the replenishing game balls B pass through the out ball sensor 605 or safe ball sensor 606, the game balls B will not be detected and will not affect the calculations of the base monitor 1311. It is also possible to provide a ball replenishing port that supplies game balls B to the second passage section 604a of the ball serpentine passage 604. As a result, even if game balls B are replenishing through the ball replenishing port while the power supply is forgotten to be turned off, they will not be detected by the out ball sensor 605 or safe ball sensor 606.

A game ball B inserted into the out ball receiving port 600a or the safe ball receiving port 600b passes through the out ball passage 601 or the safe ball passage 602 and enters the second passage section 604b of the ball serpentine passage 604 formed by the ball serpentine member 613A. As described above, the game ball B that enters the second passage section 604b crosses the passage dividing section 641 by the bridge section 642 and flows down to the first passage section 604a. Then, because the ball lifting mechanism 660 is stopped, the game ball B accumulates in the first passage section 604a.

The width of this first passage section 604a (ball serpentine passage 604) is slightly wider than the diameter D of the game ball B, so when the stored game balls B are pushed downstream, they are arranged in a staggered pattern so that they alternately come into contact with both side walls, and the game balls B are not lined up in a straight line. This allows the ball pressure from the stored game balls B to be dispersed to the side walls, reducing the ball pressure from the stored game balls B on the downstream side.

When the first passage section 604a is filled with multiple game balls B, that is, when it reaches the upper limit of the "appropriate range" indicated by the line upstream of the "Up to here" text on the upper gauge seal 620a, the last game ball B stored in the first passage section 604a is in contact with the side wall of the widening section 643, as shown in Figure 48(b), and therefore its center is away from the central axis of the erection section 642. In this state, when the game balls B aligned in a row by the alignment section 644 of the upstream second passage section 604b flow down across the erection section 642, the game ball B will come into contact with a location away from directly behind the last game ball B. The tangent line at the point away from directly behind game ball B is not perpendicular to the flow direction of game ball B but is inclined, and this inclination causes the flow direction (travel direction) of game ball B passing through erection section 642 to be directed obliquely, causing it to fall from erection section 642. In this way, because widened section 643 is provided in first passage section 604a, game balls B that exceed the upper limit of the appropriate range of storage capacity can more easily fall from erection section 643 compared to when widened section 643 is not provided.

Even if game ball B does not fall off the installation section 642, game ball B rolling from the upstream side will be aligned in a straight line by guide groove 642a and alignment section 644, and the ball pressure pushing game ball B on installation section 642 downstream will become stronger. At this time, because first passage section 604a is filled with game ball B, game ball B on installation section 642 cannot move downstream, so the game ball B is pushed out in the width direction of installation section 642 by the ball pressure, and game ball B will fall off installation section 642. Game ball B that has fallen off installation section 642 is discharged downward through passage dividing section 641 and collected in ball receiving tray 720 below.

In addition, since the bottom wall of the ball receiving tray 720 serves as the upper bottom, when a game ball B discharged from the surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 comes into contact with it, a drum-like sound is emitted, notifying the operator that the first passage section 604a is full (the upper limit of the "appropriate range") and preventing any further game balls B from being inserted.

As described above, the surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 of this embodiment can automatically discharge excess game balls B relative to the amount stored in the first passage section 604a, so that game balls B are never stored in excess of the upper limit of the "appropriate range," and there is no risk of an excess of game balls B. Therefore, when discharging excess game balls B, the number of circulating game balls B (circulating balls) can be maintained at an appropriate number without requiring any power to detect or discharge game balls B.

Furthermore, when the upper limit of the "appropriate range" is reached, excess game balls B can be automatically discharged, making it possible to omit the circulating ball excess sensor 622 described below, thereby suppressing increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1. Note that it may also be used in conjunction with the circulating ball excess sensor 622.

While playing while game balls B are circulating, it is conceivable that fraudulent activity could occur by docking pachinko machine 1, causing game balls B to fall from installation section 642 into passage dividing section 641, thereby reducing the number of stored game balls B. However, this embodiment takes measures to prevent this. More specifically, by making alignment section 644 a V-shaped groove, it contacts game ball B at an angle. Therefore, if ball serpentine member 613A (the side wall of ball serpentine passage 604) shakes due to a docking, the external force from the side wall can be released diagonally upward relative to the direction of travel of game ball B. This makes it harder for game ball B to fall out of the center of the V-shaped groove, thereby reducing the docking effect.

In addition, the guide grooves 642a of the alignment section 644 and the erection section 642 are designed to smoothly connect their ends from the bottom surface, etc., and by eliminating edges, the speed of the game ball B is not reduced, allowing it to quickly cross the passage dividing section 641 (pass through the erection section 642), minimizing the timing for it to be knocked. Furthermore, because a widened section 643 is provided at the upstream end of the first passage section 604a (at the boundary with the erection section 642), game ball B can be received even if it deviates from the central axis of the erection section 642 due to a knock, thereby reducing the knocking effect.

In addition, since the path dividing section 641 is located downstream of the out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, and foul ball sensor 607, even if game ball B falls from the installation section 642 due to a bump and is ejected by the path dividing section 641, the game ball B has already been detected by the out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, etc., and therefore does not affect the number of balls the player has.

Furthermore, an upper ball receiving tray 720 is provided below the ball snaking member 613A. If a game ball B falls from the mounting section 642 due to a bump or other reason and is ejected into the ball receiving tray 720, a drum-like sound will be produced when the game ball B hits the tray, alerting game hall staff that fraudulent activity is occurring.

In the above embodiment, the passage dividing portion 641 is shown as penetrating downward through the bottom wall of the spherical serpentine passage 604, but this is not limited to this. The passage dividing portion 641 may also be penetrating at least one side wall of the spherical serpentine passage 604 in a notched manner.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the width of the mounting portion 642 is smaller than the diameter D of the game ball B, but this is not limited to this, and the mounting portion 642 may have a width larger than the diameter D of the game ball B.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the guide groove 642a of the mounting portion 642 is shown as a groove with a V-shaped cross section, but this is not limited to this and may be a trapezoidal groove whose cross section narrows downward, or a concave groove whose width is smaller than the diameter of the game ball.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the alignment section 644 has a trapezoidal shape with a cross section that narrows downward so that it meets at two points below the center of the gaming ball, but this is not limited to this, and it may also be "a V-shaped cross section that meets at two points below the center of the gaming ball," "a concave cross section that meets at two points below the center of the gaming ball," "a shape consisting of a pair of protrusions spaced apart in the width direction so that it meets at two points below the center of the gaming ball," etc.

[4-5. Ball lifting unit]
The ball lifting unit 650 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 50 to 59. Figure 50(a) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame as seen from the front left, (b) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame as seen from the front right, and (c) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. Figure 51 is an exploded perspective view of the ball lifting unit with the ball polishing motor base and cassette pressing piece open and the ball polishing cassette removed. Figure 52(a) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit without the ball polishing cassette installed, (b) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the ball polishing motor base and cassette pressing piece open and the ball polishing cassette installed, and (c) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the ball polishing cassette installed.

Figure 53(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the door frame being closed when the ball grinding cassette is not completely locked, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the door frame has moved in the closing direction from the state in (a) and the protrusion on the door frame is abutting the tip of the ball grinding motor base, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the door frame has closed from the state in (b) and the ball grinding cut is locked. Figure 54 is an enlarged front view showing the main parts with the ball grinding cassette removed from the ball lifting unit attached to the main frame. Figure 55(a) is a right side view showing the main parts of the ball grinding mechanism and ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit, (b) is a rear view showing the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism, and (c) is a plan view of the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism as seen from arrow A in (b).

Furthermore, Figure 56 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the lifting spiral shaft and polishing cloth in the ball lifting unit. Figure 57(a) is an enlarged perspective view of the lifting inlet sensor and lifting outlet sensor, as well as a view of the ball lifting unit from the rear left, and (b) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit cut at the lifting inlet sensor. Figure 58 is an explanatory diagram showing the front and rear sections of the ball sensor, which consists of a photosensor in the ball passage. Figure 59(a) is a perspective view of the ball polishing cassette of the ball lifting unit as seen from the front left, (b) is a perspective view of the ball polishing cassette as seen from the rear right, and (c) is a right side view of the ball polishing cassette cut at the center in the left-right direction.

The ball lifting unit 650 is used to send game balls B, which have been discharged from the game board 5 or foul unit 570 and circulated through the circulating ball path unit 600, to the ball launching unit 550 via the ball sending unit 700. The ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j, which is provided on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The ball lifting unit 650 is equipped with a ball lifting mechanism 660 for lifting game balls B, a ball lifting inlet passage 651 that supplies game balls B sent from the circulating ball path unit 600 to the ball lifting mechanism 660, a ball lifting outlet passage 652 that supplies game balls B lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660 to the ball sending unit 700, a lifting inlet sensor 653 provided in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 that detects game balls B in circulation, and a lifting outlet sensor 654 provided in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 that detects game balls B in circulation.

The ball lifting unit 650 also includes a ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 that is arranged to be able to come into contact with the game ball B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651, a ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 that is arranged to be able to come into contact with the game ball B in the ball lifting outlet passage 652, a ball lifting relay board 657 that relays the connection with the frame control board 740, and a ball polishing mechanism 680 for polishing the game ball B that has been lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660.

First, the ball lifting mechanism 660 of the ball lifting unit 650 comprises a lifting spiral shaft 661 that extends vertically and has a helical lifting groove 661a on its outer periphery, a shaft gear 662 attached to the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, a motor gear 663 that meshes with the shaft gear 662 and is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the lifting spiral shaft 661, a lifting motor 664 with the motor gear 663 attached to its rotating shaft for rotating the lifting spiral shaft 661, a lifting motor index 665 that extends flange-like from the lower end of the shaft gear 662 and has a detection portion 665a that is notched out in part of the circumferential direction, and a lifting motor index sensor 666 that can detect the detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665.

The ball lifting mechanism 660 also includes a motor base metal plate 667 to which the lifting motor 664 is attached and which rotatably supports the motor gear 663, a lifting mechanism base 668 attached to one side of the motor base metal plate 667 and which rotatably supports the lifting spiral shaft 661, and a lifting mechanism cover 669 attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The lifting spiral shaft 661 has a spiral lifting groove 661a formed on its outer periphery, deep enough to accommodate a single row of game balls B. The lifting groove 661a is formed so that the lifting spiral shaft 661 can lift game balls B by rotating clockwise when viewed from above in its axial direction (see Figure 55(c)). The spiral pitch of the lifting groove 661a is longer near the upper and lower ends than between them. The lifting spiral shaft 661 is rotatably supported by a lifting mechanism base 668 and a lifting mechanism cover 669. The rotation axis of this lifting spiral shaft 661 is inclined relative to the vertical so that the upper end is located to the right of the lower end when viewed from the front. This allows the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 to be positioned farther to the right from the ball sending unit, relatively lengthening the length of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 and increasing the storage capacity of game balls B. In this embodiment, the rotation axis of the lifting spiral shaft 661 is inclined at an angle of 12 degrees relative to the vertical.

Furthermore, the lifting spiral shaft 661 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 56, this lifting spiral shaft 661 has a small diameter portion 661b, whose bottom diameter (bottom diameter) in the lifting groove 661a is bottom diameter D1, and a large diameter portion 661c, whose bottom diameter D2 is larger than that of the small diameter portion 661b. The large diameter portion 661c is located in the axial middle portion that overlaps with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing cassette 681. The diameter of the lifting spiral shaft 661 is configured to gradually change between the small diameter portion 661b and the large diameter portion 661c.

Furthermore, the spiral pitch P2 of the lifting spiral shaft 661 at the large diameter portion 661c is smaller than the spiral pitch P1 at the small diameter portion 661b. The smaller the spiral pitch, the slower the lifting speed of the game ball B.

This lifting spiral shaft 661 is positioned so that a gap S1 smaller than the diameter D of the game ball B is formed between the large diameter portion 661c and the surface of the polishing cloth 682 in the ball polishing cassette 681.

Incidentally, if the diameter of the bottom of the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661 is configured to be the bottom diameter D1 of the small diameter section 661b along its entire length, bottom diameter D1 is smaller than bottom diameter D2 of the large diameter section 661c, and therefore the gap between the bottom of the lifting groove 661a and the polishing cloth 682 becomes larger. Therefore, even if the lifting spiral shaft 661 is rotated to polish the game ball B lifted by the lifting groove 661a with the polishing cloth 682, the larger gap with the polishing cloth 682 causes the game ball B to escape to the bottom of the lifting groove 661a, reducing the contact area of the game ball B with the polishing cloth 682 and reducing the polishing efficiency.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the bottom diameter D2 of the lifting groove 661a is set to the large diameter portion 661c, which is larger than the bottom diameter D1 of the small diameter portion 661b, at the axially intermediate portion of the lifting spiral shaft 661 where it overlaps with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing cassette 681. This allows the gap from the bottom of the lifting groove 661a to the surface of the polishing cloth 682 at the large diameter portion 661c to be smaller than the gap at the small diameter portion 661b. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the gap S1 from the large diameter portion 661c to the polishing cloth 682 is set smaller than the diameter D of the game ball B. As a result, the game ball B cannot escape to the bottom of the lifting groove 661a at the large diameter portion 661c. Instead, the bottom of the lifting groove 661a presses the game ball B against the polishing cloth 682, causing the polishing cloth 682 to be depressed together with the ball polishing sponge 683 provided on the back side of the polishing cloth 682. This increases the contact area of the polishing cloth 682 with the game ball B, improving the polishing efficiency of the game ball B.

In addition, in this embodiment, the lifting spiral shaft 661 has a spiral pitch P2 in the large diameter portion 661c that overlaps with the polishing cloth 682 that is smaller than the spiral pitch P1 in the small diameter portion 661b, which slows the lifting speed of the game ball B in the large diameter portion 661c. This increases the contact time of the game ball B with the polishing cloth 682, allowing the game ball B to be polished more thoroughly.

Furthermore, the lifting spiral shaft 661 of this embodiment has a gradual change in diameter between the small diameter portion 661b and the large diameter portion 661c, which prevents the load applied when lifting the game ball B from changing suddenly, thereby reducing the load during the lifting operation.

In addition, as shown in Figure 55 (b), the lifting spiral shaft 661 of this embodiment is inclined at an angle of 12 degrees from the vertical, so that it intersects the polishing cloth 682 diagonally. This allows the entire width of the polishing cloth 682 to be used to polish the game ball B, and the polishing cloth 682 can be used efficiently for polishing.

Note that while the lifting spiral shaft 661 shown has a large diameter section 661c in the middle in the axial direction, this is not limited to this. It is also possible to have a small diameter section 661b only at the lower end, with a large diameter section 661c extending all the way up to the upper end.

The shaft gear 662 is a spur gear (worm wheel gear). The motor gear 663 is a worm gear. As a result, even if the lifting spiral shaft 661 attempts to rotate due to the load acting on it caused by the large number of game balls B contained in the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661, the rotation can be prevented by the motor gear 663, which is a worm gear meshed with the shaft gear 662. Also, because the motor gear 663 is a worm gear, even if the lifting spiral shaft 661 attempts to rotate due to the inertia generated when the drive of the lifting motor 664 stops, the rotation can be immediately stopped, preventing the game balls B from overshooting.

In this embodiment, the shaft gear 662 is made of POM (polyacetal resin), and the motor gear 663 is made of fiber-reinforced plastic containing polyamide carbon fiber. This makes the motor gear 663, which is a worm gear, less likely to chip. The motor gear 663 may also be made of metal.

The lifting motor 664 is a DC motor. The lifting motor index 665 is integrally molded with the shaft gear 662 in a flange-like shape. The detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is cut out at a 45-degree angle around the entire circumference. The lifting motor index sensor 666 is a photosensor. The lifting motor index sensor 666 receives light at the detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665, and blocks light and is in a non-light-receiving state at portions other than the detection portion 665a. This makes it possible to detect the rotational position of the lifting spiral shaft 661 via the lifting motor index 665.

As will be described in detail later, the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates once when the rotation shaft of the lifting motor 664 rotates 32 times via the shaft gear 662 and motor gear 663. The lifting motor index sensor 666 is positioned at a location other than the detection unit 665a and enters a non-light-receiving state, and then when the lifting motor 664 rotates 28 times, it reaches the detection unit 665a and enters a light-receiving state. After entering the light-receiving state, the lifting motor 664 rotates another four times, and then moves away from the detection unit 665a and enters a non-light-receiving state. In this embodiment, the origin is the position where the lifting motor 664 rotates two times after reaching the detection unit 665a and entering the light-receiving state. In other words, the center of the detection unit 665a is the origin of rotation of the lifting spiral shaft 661.

The motor base metal plate 667 has the lifting motor 664 attached to its left end when viewed from the front, and rotatably supports the right end of the motor gear 663 at its right end. The motor base metal plate 667 is attached at its upper end to the lifting mechanism base 668 and at its lower end to the lifting mechanism cover 669.

The lifting mechanism base 668, in cooperation with the lifting mechanism cover 669, houses the lifting spiral shaft 661 and rotatably supports the lifting spiral shaft 661. The lifting mechanism base 668 has a ball polishing opening 668a that penetrates from front to back so that the lifting spiral shaft 661 faces forward and is large enough that a game ball B cannot pass through, and a cassette mounting recess 668b that is recessed from the front to the rear and has the ball polishing opening 668a opening at the bottom, allowing the rear end of the ball polishing cassette 681 to be accommodated. The ball polishing opening 668a extends vertically with a width narrower than the diameter of the game ball B. This ball polishing opening 668a is arranged so that a portion of the game ball B lifted by the lifting spiral shaft 661 protrudes forward, and the game ball B is polished when the portion of the game ball B that protrudes forward beyond the ball polishing opening 668a comes into contact with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing cassette 681 in the ball polishing mechanism 680 attached (mounted) to the cassette mounting recess 668b.

The lifting mechanism base 668 is provided with a downstream portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 near the bottom end and to the right of the lifting spiral shaft 661 when viewed from the front. The portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 provided on the lifting mechanism base 668 opens toward the rear at the upstream end and slopes downward toward the bottom end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 on the left. In addition, a lifting inlet sensor 653 is attached to the lifting mechanism base 668 at a position to the right of the bottom end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 when viewed from the front.

The lifting mechanism base 668 also has an upstream portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 near its upper end. The portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 located on the lifting mechanism base 668 slopes downward to the left when viewed from the front from the front of the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, then slopes downward to the rear, with its downstream end opening toward the rear. The ball lifting outlet passage 652 slopes downward to the left from the portion of the lifting mechanism base 668 that opens toward the rear, then slopes downward toward the front, opening toward the front at its front end. This portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 is formed by the lifting mechanism base 668 and the lifting mechanism cover 669 working together.

In addition, the lifting mechanism base 668 is equipped with a ball motor base 686, to which the ball motor 688 of the ball mechanism 680 is attached, so that the ball motor base 686 is rotatable around an axis extending vertically.

The lifting mechanism cover 669 cooperates with the lifting mechanism base 668 to house the lifting spiral shaft 661 and rotatably support the lifting spiral shaft 661. It is attached from the rear to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. A ball lifting relay board 657 is attached to the rear surface of the lifting mechanism cover 669.

The lifting mechanism cover 669 has a section upstream of the section of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 that is located on the lifting mechanism base 668. The downstream end of the section of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 that is located on the lifting mechanism base 668 opens forward near the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 on the right side when viewed from the front, extends rearward, bends to the left, passes behind the lifting spiral shaft 661, and extends diagonally forward, with its upstream end opening to the left. Attached to this lifting mechanism cover 669, behind the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, is a ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 that is capable of coming into contact with the game balls B flowing through the ball lifting inlet passage 651.

The lifting mechanism cover 669 also has a portion downstream of the portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 that is provided on the lifting mechanism base 668. The portion of the lifting mechanism cover 669 that is provided on the ball lifting outlet passage 652 has an upstream end that opens rearward, bends leftward when viewed from the front, extends leftward to the left end, and then bends forward, with the downstream end opening forward at the front end of the lifting mechanism cover 669.

In addition, a lifting outlet sensor 654 is attached to the lifting mechanism cover 669 near the left end of the portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 that extends to the left when viewed from the front. Furthermore, a ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 is attached to the lifting mechanism cover 669 at a portion upstream of the lifting outlet sensor 654 in the portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 that extends to the left. The ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 is arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the game ball B flowing through the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

Furthermore, the lifting mechanism cover 669 has a support protrusion 669a that protrudes forward from the lifting mechanism base 668 from a position on the right end near the bottom center in the vertical direction, and a locking hole 669b that penetrates the front surface of the support protrusion 669a and locks the Nylatch 694. When the ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the main frame 4 from the rear, the support protrusion 669a protrudes toward the front surface of the base wall portion 501b through an opening 501o that penetrates the base wall portion 501b.

The ball lifting inlet passage 651 of the ball lifting unit 650 has an upstream opening (inlet) facing leftward near the bottom of the left side of the ball lifting unit 650. This opening is designed to face the ball discharge port 600d of the circulating ball path unit 600 when assembled to the main frame 4. The ball lifting inlet passage 651 slopes downward from the left-end inlet to the right, extending further to the right than the lifting spiral shaft 661 to bypass the rear of the lifting spiral shaft 661, then bending forward and extending leftward to near the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661. It then bends in a crank shape near the lifting spiral shaft 661 to wrap around to the front side of the lifting spiral shaft 661, and communicates with the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661 on the front side near the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661.

The ball lifting inlet passage 651 is arranged so that its upstream end opening faces the ball discharge port 600d, which forms the downstream end opening of the ball serpentine passage 604 in the circulating ball path unit 600, and game balls B that have circulated through the ball serpentine passage 604 are handed over and circulated.

The ball lifting entrance passage 651 is equipped with a lifting entrance sensor 653 to the right of the lifting spiral shaft 661, and a ball lifting entrance earth metal plate 655 is attached to the rear of the lifting spiral shaft 661.

The ball lifting outlet passage 652, located near the top end of the ball lifting unit 650, has its upstream end communicating with the lifting groove 661a on the front side near the top end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, extends to the left of the lifting spiral shaft 661, then bends backward, extends to the same position as the rear end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, and then bends left. From there, it extends left near the left end of the ball lifting unit 650 and bends forward, with its downstream end opening forward at the front surface of the ball lifting unit 650 (lifting mechanism cover 669).

The ball lifting outlet passage 652 is arranged so that the opening at its downstream end faces the ball supply port of the ball sending unit (described later), allowing game balls B to be supplied to the ball sending unit 700.

The ball lifting outlet passage 652 has a lifting outlet sensor 654 near the left end of the section extending leftward near the rear end of the ball lifting unit 650, and a ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 attached upstream (to the right) of that. The bottom wall of the section of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 where the ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 is located has an opening large enough not to interfere with the flow of game balls B, allowing dust, debris, etc. to be discharged to the outside through this opening.

The lifting entrance sensor 653 detects the presence or absence of a game ball B to be lifted when the lifting motor 664 is driven to rotate the lifting spiral shaft 661 and lift the game ball B. As will be explained in more detail below, if the lifting entrance sensor 653 does not detect a game ball B, the lifting motor 664 will not be driven.

The lifting outlet sensor 654 detects the presence or absence of game balls B being supplied to the ball sending unit. Details will be described later, but when the lifting inlet sensor 653 detects game balls B and the lifting outlet sensor 654 detects no game balls B, and a predetermined condition is met (here, the launch subtraction sensor 554 subtracts a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., three)), the lifting motor 664 is driven to rotate the lifting spiral shaft 661, and a predetermined number of game balls B are lifted.

The lifting entrance sensor 653 and the lifting exit sensor 654 are photosensors with a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, and detect the presence or absence of game ball B without contact when the game ball B blocks the light from the light-emitting element.

Here, the relationship between the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and ball lifting outlet passage 652 and the lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654 will be explained. Here, the relationship between the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the lifting inlet sensor 653 will be explained, and the relationship between the ball lifting outlet passage 652 and the lifting outlet sensor 654 will be omitted as it is the same. As shown in Figures 57 and 58, the portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 where the lifting inlet sensor 653 is located is a V-shaped passage section 651a with a V-shaped cross section (an inverted trapezoidal shape that narrows downward). The portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 other than the V-shaped passage section 651a is a U-shaped passage section 651b with a U-shaped cross section that is open upward.

The same is true for the ball lifting outlet passage 652, where the lifting outlet sensor 654 is configured as a V-shaped passage section 652a with a V-shaped cross section (an inverted trapezoidal shape that narrows downward), and the other section is configured as a U-shaped passage section 652b with a U-shaped cross section that opens upward.

In other words, V-shaped passage portion 651a and V-shaped passage portion 652a each have a pair of inclined surfaces that the game ball B comes into contact with and that are inclined so that the spacing between them increases upward. Furthermore, U-shaped passage portion 651b and U-shaped passage portion 652b have a flat bottom surface that comes into contact with game ball B and is wider than the diameter of game ball B, and a pair of side wall surfaces extending from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction. Furthermore, ball sending passage 703 of ball sending unit 700, which is downstream of ball lifting outlet passage 652, is also formed in the same shape as U-shaped passage portion 651b and U-shaped passage portion 652b.

However, if the cross section of the passageway at the location of the lifting entrance sensor 653, which is made up of a photosensor, is made into a U-shaped passageway that opens upward, the game balls B passing through will come into contact with the side walls. This will cause scratches and dirt on the side walls of the passageway due to the game balls' contact, which may hinder the light reception and emission of the photosensor, resulting in false detection. Furthermore, in a U-shaped passageway, the position of the game balls B across the width of the passageway is not constant or stable, so the sensor will detect the position inconsistently, which may result in false detection.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the lift entrance sensor 653 (lift exit sensor 654) is a V-shaped passageway 651a (V-shaped passageway 652a) with a V-shaped cross section. Therefore, by holding the game ball B at two points by the diagonal portions on both sides of the V, movement in the width direction of the passageway can be restricted, and the position of the game ball B can be kept constant and stable across the width of the passageway. This prevents the game ball B from coming into contact with the sidewall of the passageway at the lift entrance sensor 653 (lift exit sensor 654), preventing scratches and dirt caused by contact by the game ball B. This eliminates false detections and ensures reliable detection of the game ball.

In the above, the V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a) with a V-shaped (inverted trapezoidal) cross section was shown as the shape of the passage that stabilizes the position of game ball B relative to the sensor, but it may also be a pair of protrusions that are spaced apart at a distance narrower than the diameter of game ball B and extend in the direction of game ball B's flow.

The ball lifting inlet passage 651 has a lifting spiral shaft 661 at its downstream end. Therefore, in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 upstream of the lifting spiral shaft 661, game balls B are picked up one by one by the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661, so they move intermittently, and game balls B become stationary in the ball lifting inlet passage 651. On the other hand, the ball lifting outlet passage 652 has a ball sending unit 700, which will be described later, at its downstream end. Therefore, in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 upstream of the ball sending unit 700, game balls B move intermittently one by one due to the ball sending operation of the ball sending unit 700, and game balls B become stationary in the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

As shown in Figure 58, in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 (ball lifting outlet passage 652), only the area of the lifting inlet sensor 653 (lifting outlet sensor 654) is a V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a) with a V-shaped cross section, and the other areas are U-shaped passage sections 651b (U-shaped passage sections 652b) with a U-shaped cross section. Therefore, even if multiple game balls B are placed inside the passage and are stopped, the ball pressure caused by the multiple game balls B acting on the downstream side can be reduced.

More specifically, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 58, in the V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a), multiple game balls B are lined up in a straight line (in a line along the axis of the passage), but in the U-shaped passage section 651b (U-shaped passage section 652b), multiple game balls B are pushed downstream, resulting in a staggered arrangement that alternately contacts the side walls on both sides. This allows the ball pressure to be dispersed to the side walls, reducing the ball pressure exerted downstream by multiple game balls B. Therefore, parts located downstream of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 (ball lifting outlet passage 652) (e.g., lifting spiral shaft 661, ball transport movable member 705 of ball transport unit 700, etc.) will not be damaged by the ball pressure of the multiple game balls B that are retained (stored). Furthermore, there is no need to excessively reinforce these parts against ball pressure, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

By the way, to detect game ball B at a prize slot or the like, the output from the ball sensor is checked at a predetermined interrupt period (for example, 4 ms), and when the output is not detected, detected, detected (in other words, "011"), it is determined that game ball B has been detected (ON). In other words, when the output from the ball sensor is "011", it is determined to be ON, and when it is anything other than "011", it is determined to be OFF. However, when using the above-described determination method to determine the presence or absence of game balls B in a ball sensor (here, lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654) installed in a ball passageway where multiple game balls B are stationary, such as ball lifting inlet passageway 651 and ball lifting outlet passageway 652, the ball sensor will only output an OFF signal if there are no game balls B in the ball passageway, will output many short ON signals if game balls B are being supplied to the ball passageway, and will output many short OFF signals if the game balls B stored in the ball passageway are moving one by one (game balls B are moving at launch intervals). Therefore, the above-described determination method cannot accurately determine that there are no game balls B in the ball passageway.

In contrast, in this embodiment, thresholds are set for ON and OFF determinations (for example, the ON threshold is 200 ms, and the OFF threshold is 200 ms), and an ON or OFF determination is made only when the thresholds are exceeded and there is continuous non-detection or detection. In other words, for example, when the output from the ball sensor is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably detect (determine) the presence or absence of a game ball B in a ball passage where multiple game balls B are stationary.

The threshold for determining ON and OFF may vary depending on the type of ball passage, the number of game balls B parked therein, etc., or the ON threshold and OFF threshold may be different. In this embodiment, the lift-up inlet sensor 653 of the ball lift-up inlet passage 651 has an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 200 ms, for example. The lift-up outlet sensor 654 of the ball lift-up outlet passage 652 has an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 200 ms, for example. The pre-launch sensor 704 of the ball sending unit 700, described below, has an ON threshold of 12 ms and an OFF threshold of 12 ms, for example. As mentioned above, the launch subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launching unit 550 has an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 80 ms, for example.

If these thresholds are too small, even slight vibrations will result in false detection, causing noise in the control. Furthermore, if the threshold is unnecessarily large, the state of game ball B will not be captured. Therefore, while the appropriate threshold varies depending on the location of the ball sensor, a minimum of 10 ms and a maximum of 300 ms is desirable. Furthermore, if the threshold is set to a multiple (e.g., 3 to 60 times) of the interrupt period (e.g., 4 ms), the software control only counts the number of interrupts, reducing the burden on the software. Basically, the threshold is short for the pre-launch sensor 704, where game ball B reliably stays in a fixed position. However, for sensors where game ball B stays in a nearly fixed position but there is a certain degree of variation in the stay position (e.g., lift-out sensor 654), the threshold is lengthened to provide some leeway. At the launch subtraction sensor 554, game ball B stays (stops) in a fixed position, but the threshold is lengthened to prevent false detection due to artificial vibrations.

The ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 removes static electricity from game balls B supplied from the circulating ball path unit 600 to the ball lifting inlet passage 651. The ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 is located upstream of the lifting inlet sensor 653. This allows static electricity from game balls B passing through the lifting inlet sensor 653 to be removed in advance, preventing false detections by the lifting inlet sensor 653 and malfunctions of the frame control board 740 due to static electricity from game balls B.

The ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 removes static electricity from the game ball B that has been lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660 and polished by the ball polishing mechanism 680. The ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 is located upstream of the lifting outlet sensor 654. This allows static electricity from the game ball B that passes through the lifting outlet sensor 654 to be removed in advance, preventing false detection by the lifting outlet sensor 654 and malfunction of the frame control board 740 due to static electricity from the game ball B.

The ball lift relay board 657 relays the connections between the lift inlet sensor 653, lift outlet sensor 654, lift motor 664, lift motor index sensor 666, ball motor 688, etc. and the frame control board 740. The ball lift relay board 657 is attached to the rear side of the lift mechanism cover 669.

The ball polishing mechanism 680 is attached to the front side of the ball lifting mechanism 660. The ball polishing mechanism 680 comprises a ball polishing cassette 681 shaped like a vertically elongated rectangular box, an endless belt-like polishing cloth 682 partially exposed to the outside at the rear of the ball polishing cassette 681, a sheet-like ball polishing sponge 683 located between the exposed portion of the polishing cloth 682 and the rear of the ball polishing cassette 681, a ball polishing feed gear 684 supported rotatably around a left-right axis at the bottom of the ball polishing cassette 681, and a ball polishing driven gear 685 meshing with the ball polishing feed gear 684 across the polishing cloth 682 and supported rotatably around a left-right axis.

The ball grinding mechanism 680 is composed of a flat ball grinding motor base 686 that extends vertically to the left of the ball grinding cassette 681 with a constant depth from front to back and its rear end edge rotatably attached to the lifting mechanism base 668, a gear cover 687 attached to the left side of the ball grinding motor base 686, a ball grinding motor 688 attached to the left side of the gear cover 687 with its rotation shaft protruding between the gear cover 687 and the ball grinding motor base 686, a spur gear-shaped motor gear 689 attached to the rotation shaft of the ball grinding motor 688, and a gear meshing with the motor gear 689. The transmission gear 690 has a large-diameter spur gear-shaped gear portion 690a that meshes with the large-diameter gear portion 690a, and a small-diameter spur gear-shaped gear portion 690b that rotates integrally with the large-diameter gear portion 690a, and is rotatably supported between the motor base 686 and the gear cover 687; a spur gear-shaped transmission gear 691 that meshes with the small-diameter gear portion 690b of the transmission gear 690 and is rotatably supported between the motor base 686 and the gear cover 687; and a rotary connecting portion 692 that rotates integrally with the transmission gear 691, passes through the motor base 686, and protrudes to the right.

Furthermore, the polishing mechanism 680 abuts against the front surface of the polishing cassette 681, and is equipped with a flat cassette pressing piece 693 whose left end is engaged with the front end of the polishing motor base 686 and whose right end is attached to the front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501; a Nylatch 694 which detachably attaches the right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 to the front surface (engagement hole 669b) of the support protrusion 669a of the lifting mechanism cover 669; and a spring 695 which biases the cassette pressing piece 693 rearward (towards the polishing cassette 681) relative to the polishing motor base 686.

As shown in Figure 59, the ball polishing cassette 681 of the ball polishing mechanism 680 is formed in a hollow box shape, with slits 681a at both the upper and lower edges of the rear surface to allow the polishing cloth 682 to pass through. The ball polishing cassette 681 is detachably attached from the front to the lifting mechanism base 668 of the ball lifting mechanism 660 so as to close the ball polishing opening 668a.

The ball polishing cassette 681 also has a connecting hole 681b located at the bottom of the left side and a positioning hole 681c located in front of the connecting hole. A rotary coupling part 692 protruding to the right from the ball polishing motor base 686 is inserted into the connecting hole 681b, and the tip of the rotary coupling part 692 inserted into the connecting hole 681b is connected to the ball polishing feed gear 684. A positioning pin 686b (described below) of the ball polishing motor base 686 is inserted into the positioning hole 681c. Inserting the positioning pin 686b positions the ball polishing cassette 681 relative to the ball lifting mechanism 660 and restricts (locks) forward movement of the ball polishing cassette 681 relative to the ball lifting mechanism 660.

Furthermore, the polishing cassette 681 has multiple rollers 681d around which the polishing cloth 682 is wound, and a flat tension spring 681e that presses the polishing cloth 682 against the rollers 681d located adjacent to the upper slit 681a. By pressing the polishing cloth 682 against the rollers 681d, the tension spring 681e applies tension to the portion of the polishing cloth 682 that is exposed to the outside from the polishing cassette 681, preventing the polishing cloth 682 from bending on the outside of the rear surface.

The polishing cloth 682 is formed in the shape of an endless loop belt with a constant width on both sides. As shown in Figures 55(a) and 59(c), the polishing cloth 682 is stored in the polishing cassette 681 in a serpentine state, with a portion of it exposed rearward beyond the rear surface of the polishing cassette 681 through slits at the top and bottom of the polishing cassette 681.

The ball polishing sponge 683 is located between the rear surface of the ball polishing cassette 681 and the rear-exposed portion of the polishing cloth 682, and is attached to the rear surface of the ball polishing cassette 681. The inner surface of the polishing cloth 682 contacts the rear surface of the ball polishing sponge 683. When assembled to the ball lifting unit 650, the ball polishing sponge 683 elastically presses the polishing cloth 682 against the game ball B exposed forward from the ball polishing port 668a of the ball lifting mechanism 660, allowing the polishing cloth 682 to come into contact with a wider area of the spherical surface of the game ball B. The ball polishing sponge 683 is attached to the ball polishing cassette 681 in a replaceable manner.

When the ball-finishing cassette 681 is attached, the ball-finishing feed gear 684 is positioned so that its axis coincides with the axis of the transmission gear 691 (rotational coupling part 692), and the left end of the rotational shaft is coupled to the rotational coupling part 692 to rotate integrally with the transmission gear 691.

The spherical driven gear 685 is engaged with the spherical feed gear 684 so that there is a gap between them that allows the polishing cloth 682 to fit inside. When the spherical feed gear 684 rotates, the spherical driven gear 685 rotates in the opposite direction, and the polishing cloth 682 sandwiched between it and the spherical feed gear 684 can be fed.

The ball polishing motor base 686 extends vertically along the left side of the ball polishing cassette 681, and its rear end is rotatably attached to the lifting mechanism base 668 around an axis extending in the vertical direction. This allows the ball polishing motor base 686 to rotate between a locked position parallel to the left side of the ball polishing cassette 681 and an unlocked position where its front end is moved away from the ball polishing cassette 681 to the left. The ball polishing motor base 686 has a locking hole 686a that penetrates from side to side at a position above the vertical center on its front end edge. A locking hook 693a on the left end of the cassette pressing piece 693 is inserted into this locking hole 686a to lock it in place.

As shown in Figure 51, the ball motor base 686 has a rotary coupling 692 that protrudes to the right from a position near the bottom end of the right side, toward the rear in the front-to-rear direction. The ball motor base 686 also has a positioning pin 686b that protrudes cylindrically to the right from a position near the bottom end of the right side, in the center in the front-to-rear direction. The tip (right end) of the positioning pin 686b is formed in a cone shape. This positioning pin 686b is inserted into the positioning hole 681c of the ball cassette 681 to position the ball cassette 681 and restrict forward movement.

In more detail, when the ball motor base 686 is rotated to the release position with its front end moved to the left in the front-to-back direction and the ball cassette 681 is attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668, if the ball motor base 686 is rotated so that its tip moves to the right and moved to the locked position, the positioning pin 686b is inserted into the positioning hole 681c of the ball cassette 681 from a direction intersecting the front-to-back direction, positioning the ball cassette 681 and preventing the ball cassette 681 from moving forward from the cassette mounting recess 668b.

This ball-shaped motor base 686 is positioned so that its tip abuts against the protrusion 102 (guide surface 102a) of the door frame 3. As a result, as will be described in detail below, when an attempt is made to close the door frame 3 against the main frame 4 while the ball-shaped motor base 686 is not in the locked position, the guide surface 102a of the protrusion 102 comes into contact with the front end of the ball-shaped motor base 686, causing the ball-shaped motor base 686 to rotate to the locked position, preventing the lock from being forgotten and preventing the cassette pressure piece 693 and other parts from being pinched between the door frame 3 and being damaged.

The ball polishing motor 688 is controlled independently of the operation of the lifting motor 664, and is controlled so that the polishing cloth 682 moves 0.17 mm for every 1,000 game balls B fired.

The cassette pressing piece 693 extends to the left and right, and has a hook-shaped locking hook portion 693a at its left end that is inserted into and locked into the locking hole 686a of the ball motor base 686. This cassette pressing piece 693 is biased by a spring 695 to rotate counterclockwise in a plan view. In other words, it is biased to press the ball cassette 681 attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 backward. The right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 extends further to the right than the ball cassette 681, and its rear surface is configured to be able to abut against the front surface of the support protrusion 669a on the lifting mechanism cover 669. A Nylatch 694 is provided near the right end of this cassette pressing piece 693.

When the operating part 694a of the Nylatch 694 is pressed with the right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 abutting against the support protrusion 669a of the lifting mechanism cover 669, the tip expands in diameter and engages with the locking hole 669b of the support protrusion 669a, locking the cassette pressing piece 693 from moving. Pulling the operating part 694a toward yourself unlocks the Nylatch 694. Specifically, the Nylatch 694 includes an operating part 694a consisting of a disk-shaped portion and a rod-shaped portion protruding from the center of the disk, a cylindrical portion into which the rod-shaped portion of the operating part 694a is slidably inserted, a flange portion extending outward from the base end of the cylindrical portion near the disk portion, and a cylindrical member (grommet) having multiple circumferential slits cut from the tip of the cylindrical portion opposite the flange portion toward the flange portion. With this Nylatch 694, when the tubular member is inserted into the locking hole 669b of the support protrusion 669a and the operating portion 694a is pressed toward the support protrusion 669a, the rod-shaped portion slides toward the tip inside the tubular portion, expanding the diameter of the tip of the tubular portion, which is divided by multiple slits. This prevents the tubular member from slipping out of the locking hole 669b, locking it in place.

In this embodiment, the ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the rear side of the base wall 501b of the main frame base 501 when assembled to the main frame 4. When assembling this ball lifting unit 650 to the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4, the ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j provided on the rear surface of the base wall 501b with the ball polishing cassette 681 of the ball lifting mechanism 680 removed from the ball lifting mechanism 660 (see Figure 52(a)). At this time, the ball polishing motor base 686 and support protrusion 669a protruding forward from the lifting mechanism base 668 have their front ends protrude forward of the base wall 501b through the opening 501o that penetrates the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j from front to rear.

In this state, the ball polishing port 668a of the lifting mechanism base 668 of the ball lifting mechanism 660 is located in the opening 501o that penetrates the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b, and the game ball B being lifted up the lifting spiral shaft 661 can be seen from the front of the base wall portion 501b (main body frame 4) through the opening 501o and the ball polishing port 668a (see Figure 54). Because the width of the ball polishing port 668a is narrower than the diameter of the game ball B, the game ball B will not spill out even if the ball polishing cassette 681 is removed. As a result, by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main body frame 4 and removing the ball polishing cassette 681, the lifting spiral shaft 661 and the game ball B being lifted up the lifting spiral shaft 661 can be seen from the front.

After attaching the ball lifting mechanism 660 side of the ball lifting unit 650 to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the base wall portion 501b, pull the operating portion 694a of the Nylatch 694 protruding forward from the base wall portion 501b to release the lock, rotate the cassette pressing piece 693 so that it opens forward and to the left against the spring force of the spring 695, and rotate the ball motor base 686 to the release position so that its tip side moves away from the ball cassette 681, so that the cassette pressing piece 693 and ball motor base 686 do not overlap with the front of the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668. Then, from the front of the base wall 501b, with the exposed surface of the polishing cloth 682 facing rearward, the polishing cassette 681 is placed in front of the cassette mounting recess 668b in the lifting mechanism base 668 so as to close the polishing opening 668a from the front (see Figures 51 and 52(b)).

In this state, the polishing cassette 681 is moved rearward and its rear end is inserted into the cassette mounting recess 668b. The polishing motor base 686 is then rotated to the locked position so that it is parallel to the left side of the polishing cassette 681, and the rotary coupling part 692 and positioning pin 686b protruding from the right side of the polishing motor base 686 are inserted into the coupling hole 681b and positioning hole 681c of the polishing cassette 681, respectively. This allows the rotary coupling part 692 and positioning pin 686b to be inserted into the polishing cassette 681 in a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction, thereby restricting the forward movement of the polishing cassette 681.

When the ball motor base 686 is moved to the locked position, the cassette pressing piece 693 attached to the front end of the ball motor base 686 presses the ball cassette 681 rearward due to the biasing force of the spring 695, and the right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 comes into contact with the support protrusion 669a of the lifting mechanism cover 669. In this state, when the operating part 694a of the Nylatch 694 is pressed and engages with the locking hole 669b of the support protrusion 669a, the cassette pressing piece 693 is locked so that it cannot rotate, and installation of the ball cassette 681 is complete.

To remove the ball polishing cassette 681, pull the operating portion 694a of the Nylatch 694 toward you to unlock it, then follow the steps above in reverse to remove the ball polishing cassette 681.

However, if the ball-making cassette 681 is installed imperfectly, for example by forgetting to lock it using the ball-making motor base 686 or cassette pressure piece 693, the ball-making cassette 681 may come off during play, causing the game to be interrupted and potentially reducing the player's interest.

In contrast, this embodiment is designed so that the ball-forming cassette 681 will not come off even if the ball-forming motor base 686 or cassette pressure piece 693 is forgotten to be locked. More specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 53(a), if an attempt is made to close the door frame 3 against the main frame 4 when the ball-forming motor base 686 is not in the locked position and the cassette pressure piece 693 is not pressing the ball-forming cassette 681 rearward, the inclined guide surface 102a of the protrusion 102 on the door frame main body 100 of the door frame 3 will abut against the front end of the ball-forming motor base 686 (see Figure 53(b)).

At this time, the cassette pressing piece 693 attached to the front end of the ball motor base 686 does not remain protruding forward as shown in Figure 51, but rather moves closer to the ball cassette 681 at the rear as shown in Figure 53(a) due to the biasing force of the spring 695. Therefore, the cassette pressing piece 693 does not come into contact with the door frame 3 and rotate in the opposite direction from the ball cassette 681, and the cassette pressing piece 693 or door frame 3 is not damaged.

When the door frame 3 moves further in the closing direction, the tip of the ball motor base 686 is pushed by the guide surface 102a and rotates to the right toward the locked position. As a result, the rotary coupling part 692 protruding from the right side of the ball motor base 686 is inserted into the coupling hole 681b of the ball cassette 681, and the positioning pin 686b of the ball motor base 686 is inserted into the positioning hole 681c of the ball cassette 681, restricting (locking) the ball cassette 681 from moving forward. Furthermore, the cassette pressing piece 693 is pressing the ball cassette 681 backward due to the biasing force of the spring 695 (see Figure 53 (c)). This locks the ball cassette 681 and prevents it from coming loose forward.

Although not shown in the figures, a protrusion that can press the operating portion 694a of the Nylatch 694 rearward may be provided on the rear surface of the door frame 3. This makes it possible to lock the cassette pressing piece 693 even if the Nylatch 694 is forgotten to be locked, reliably preventing the ball cassette 681 from falling out (disengaging).

In addition, in the above embodiment, the protrusion 102 on the door frame 3 is used to move the ball motor base 686 to the locked position, thereby locking the ball cassette 681 so that it cannot be removed. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the ball launching unit 550 and foul unit 570 may be provided as detachable units, and a locking means may be provided to lock the ball launching unit 550, etc. so that it cannot be removed. If the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4 with the locking means incomplete, the protrusion 102 will come into contact with the locking means, thereby locking the ball launching unit 550, etc. so that it cannot be removed.

When the ball lifting unit 650 of this embodiment is assembled to the main frame 4, the opening at the upstream end of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 faces the ball discharge port 600d of the circulating ball path unit 600, and game balls B that have circulated through the serpentine ball serpentine path 604 are supplied through it. The game balls B supplied to the ball lifting inlet passage 651 come into contact with the ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 to remove static electricity, are then detected by the lifting inlet sensor 653, and are supplied to the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661. At this time, the game balls B are inserted into the ball polishing port 668a, whose front end extends forward. The front end of the game ball B comes into contact with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing mechanism 680, and the vertically elongated ball polishing port 668a restricts movement in the left-right direction.

In this state, when the lifting motor 664 rotates the lifting spiral shaft 661 in a direction that lifts the game ball B, the game ball B is pushed from below by the lifting groove 661a, moving upward along the ball polishing opening 668a. At this time, the game ball B moves upward while rotating, while contacting the vertically extending portion of the inner periphery of the ball polishing opening 668a and the lifting groove 661a. As a result, the portion of the game ball B that contacts the polishing cloth 682 on the front end side changes as the game ball B rises (rotates), making it possible to polish the entire surface of the game ball B evenly.

When game ball B reaches the upper end of lifting spiral shaft 661, it enters ball lifting exit passage 652, comes into contact with ball lifting exit earth metal plate 656, is detected by lifting exit sensor 654, and is sent to the ball sending unit from the downstream end of ball lifting exit passage 652. At this time, even if game ball B is lifted by ball lifting mechanism 660 and polished by polishing cloth 682, causing it to become statically charged, the static electricity is removed by contact with ball lifting exit earth metal plate 656, which is upstream of lifting exit sensor 654, and no malfunctions caused by static electricity from the ball polishing will occur in lifting exit sensor 654, frame control board 740, etc.

On the other hand, in the polishing mechanism 680, with the polishing cassette 681 attached, when the polishing motor 688 rotates the polishing feed gear 684 clockwise as viewed from the right side, the portion of the polishing cloth 682 exposed to the outside from the rear surface of the polishing cassette 681 passes through the slit on the bottom of the polishing cassette 681 and is accommodated within the polishing cassette 681. At this time, the exposed portion of the polishing cloth 682 is pulled downward, so that the portion of the polishing cloth 682 accommodated within the polishing cassette 681 is advanced from the outside through the slit on the top of the polishing cassette 681.

The polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing mechanism 680 moves intermittently at a slow speed. In this embodiment, the polishing cloth 682 moves 0.17 mm for every 1,000 game balls B fired.

In this way, the ball lifting unit 650 of this embodiment can polish the game balls B while supplying the game balls B discharged from the circulation ball path unit 600 to the ball sending unit 700.

[4-6. Ball sending unit]
The ball sending unit 700 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 60 to 62. Figure 60(a) is a perspective view of the ball sending unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball sending unit in the main body frame as seen from the back. Figure 61(a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball sending unit as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball sending unit as seen from the back. Figure 62 is a front cross-sectional view of the ball sending unit cut at the location of the pre-launch sensor.

The ball sending unit 700 is used to supply the game balls B lifted by the ball lifting unit 650 one by one to the ball launching unit 550. The ball sending unit 700 is attached to the ball sending unit mounting portion 501k located on the rear side of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. The ball sending unit 700 faces upward from the top surface of the base wall portion 501b, sandwiched between the base wall portion 501b and the circulating ball path unit 600, and is detachably attached upward.

The ball sending unit 700 is equipped with a ball supply port 701 that opens at the rear and allows game balls B supplied from the ball lifting unit 650 to enter; a ball delivery port 702 that opens at the front and is used to send game balls B to the ball launch pad 552b of the ball launching unit 550; a ball delivery passage 703 that connects the ball supply port 701 and the ball delivery port 702 and allows game balls B to pass through; a pre-launch sensor 704 that can detect game balls B passing through the ball delivery passage 703; a ball delivery movable member 705 that releases game balls B detected by the pre-launch sensor 704 one by one from the ball delivery port 702; a ball delivery solenoid 706 that moves the ball delivery movable member 705 to send game balls B to the ball launching unit 550; and a ball delivery relay board 707 that relays the connection between the ball delivery solenoid 706, the pre-launch sensor 704, and the frame control board 740.

The ball sending unit 700 also includes a transmission member 708 that transmits the forward and backward movement of the plunger in the ball sending solenoid 706 to move the ball sending movable member 705, a box-shaped unit base 709 that is open to the rear and has a pre-launch sensor 704, ball sending solenoid 706, etc. installed inside, and a flat unit cover 710 that is attached to close the opening at the rear end of the unit base 709.

The ball supply port 701 of the ball sending unit 700 penetrates the unit cover 710 that forms the rear of the ball sending unit 700, and is located in the area from the center to the upper right when viewed from the front. The ball supply port 701 is sized to allow game balls B to pass through one at a time.

The ball outlet 702 penetrates the unit base 709, which forms the front side of the ball sending unit 700, from front to back, and is located in a position lower than the center when viewed from the front. The ball outlet 702 is formed to be large enough to allow game balls B to pass through one at a time.

The ball transport passage 703 connects the ball supply inlet 701 and the ball transport outlet 702, extending lower to the left from the ball supply inlet 701 to the area above the ball transport outlet 702, and then extending downward to the area of the ball transport outlet 702. A pre-launch sensor 704 is located near the left end of the part of the ball transport passage 703 that extends to the left. In addition, the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball transport movable member 705 is located in the part of the ball transport passage 703 that extends up and down behind the ball transport outlet 702.

The pre-launch sensor 704 is located near the left end of the ball transport passage 703, which extends lower to the left. In other words, the pre-launch sensor 704 is located immediately upstream of the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball transport movable member 705. This pre-launch sensor 704 detects the game ball B in a non-contact manner, for example, by detecting changes in induced current.

The ball transport passage 703 in which this pre-launch sensor 704 is installed is where the flow of game balls B remains, similar to the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and ball lifting outlet passage 652. Therefore, like the lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654, the pre-launch sensor 704 is provided with thresholds for ON and OFF determinations, and is designed to determine ON or OFF only when continuous non-detection or detection exceeds those thresholds, thereby ensuring reliable determination (detection) of the presence or absence of game balls B. In the pre-launch sensor 704 of this embodiment, for example, the ON threshold is set to 12 ms and the OFF threshold is set to 12 ms.

The ball-transporting movable member 705 is movable when driven by the ball-transporting solenoid 706, thereby releasing game balls B in the ball-transporting passage 703 one by one from the ball-transporting outlet 702 and supplying them to the ball launching unit 550. The ball-transporting movable member 705 has a U-shaped ball receiving portion 705a that is open to the right and front and rear and has a bottom wall that slopes forward and can accommodate only one game ball B, a shaft portion 705b that extends leftward from the left end of the ball receiving portion 705a, a bearing portion 705c that penetrates front and rear at the left end of the shaft portion 705b and into which the first shaft pin 710a of the unit cover 710 is inserted for relative rotation, a movable gear portion 705d that is fan-shaped and coaxial with the bearing portion 705c and extends to the right, and a ball stop portion 705e that forms the upper part of the U-shaped ball receiving portion 705a.

The ball sending solenoid 706 moves the ball sending movable member 705 to supply the game balls B in the ball sending passage 703 one by one from the ball sending outlet 702 to the ball launching unit 550. The ball sending solenoid 706 is located in the upper left corner when viewed from the front, between the unit base 709 and the unit cover 710, with the magnetic pole portion that generates magnetic force when current is applied facing downward. As will be explained in more detail below, the ball sending solenoid 706, in conjunction with the launching solenoid 553, performs a series of hardware operations based on a predetermined launch sequence.

The ball sending relay board 707 is used to relay the connection between the pre-launch sensor 704 and ball sending solenoid 706 and the frame control board 740. The ball sending relay board 707 is provided to the right of the pre-launch sensor 704, between the unit base 709 and the unit cover 710.
This ball sending relay board 707

The transmission member 708 transmits the forward and backward movement of the plunger of the ball-transporting solenoid 706 so as to move the ball-transporting movable member 705. The transmission member 708 has a sheet metal holding portion 708b to which a magnetically attachable sheet metal 708a is attached to the magnetic pole portion of the ball-transporting solenoid 706, a shaft portion 708c extending to the right from the sheet metal holding portion 708b, a bearing portion 708d that penetrates the right end of the shaft portion 708c from front to back and into which the second shaft pin 710b of the unit cover 710 is inserted so as to be rotatable relative to the shaft portion, and a drive gear portion 708e that is fan-shaped to the left and coaxial with the bearing portion 708d and meshes with the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-transporting movable member 705.

The unit base 709 is shaped like a box that opens to the rear, and has a ball delivery port 702 that penetrates from front to back in the lower center of the front. The unit base 709 cooperates with the unit cover 710 to form the ball delivery passage 703, and also holds the pre-launch sensor 704, ball delivery movable member 705, ball delivery solenoid 706, ball delivery relay board 707, and transmission member 708.

The unit base 709 has knobs 709a spaced apart laterally on its top surface and recessed downward, and a resilient claw 709b located in the lower right corner of the front surface. The knob 709a is designed to be grasped by an operator from above and is used when removing the ball throwing unit 700 upward from the main body frame base 501 of the main body frame 4. The knob 709a has dovetail grooves on its adjacent side surfaces, which slope downwards to approach each other. The side surfaces of the knob 709a have multiple protrusions extending forward and backward, lined up vertically. The resilient claw 709b engages with a locking hole in the ball throwing unit mounting portion 501k when the ball throwing unit 700 is attached to the ball throwing unit mounting portion 501k of the main body frame base 501, preventing it from being removed upwards.

To remove the ball sending unit 700 from the main frame base 501, the elastic claw 709b, which passes through the locking hole in the base wall 501b and faces forward, is pressed backward to elastically deform it, and the knob 709a on the top surface is grasped and pulled up, allowing the ball sending unit 700 to be removed upward from the ball sending unit mounting portion 501k of the main frame base 501.

The unit cover 710 has a ball supply port 701 extending from the center to the upper right when viewed from the front. The unit cover 710 cooperates with the unit base 709 to form the ball delivery passage 703, and also holds the pre-launch sensor 704, the ball delivery movable member 705, the ball delivery solenoid 706, the ball delivery relay board 707, and the transmission member 708. The unit cover 710 has a first and second shaft pins 710a and 710b near the lower left corner when viewed from the front, which protrude forward in a cylindrical shape. The first shaft pin 710a can be inserted into the bearing portion 705c of the ball delivery movable member 705 to rotatably support the ball delivery movable member 705. The second shaft pin 710b can be inserted into the bearing portion 708d of the transmission member 708 to rotatably support the transmission member 708.

When the ball-transporting unit 700 of this embodiment is assembled, the first shaft pin 710a is inserted into the bearing portion 705c of the ball-transporting movable member 705, and the second shaft pin 710b is inserted into the bearing portion 708d of the transmission member 708, so that the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-transporting movable member 705 and the drive gear portion 708e of the transmission member 708 are meshed with each other. In this state, the ball receiving portion 705a at the right end of the ball-transporting movable member 705 is located in a portion extending vertically behind the ball-transporting opening 702 within the ball-transporting passage 703. When the ball-transporting movable member 705 rotates around the bearing portion 705c, the ball receiving portion 705a moves vertically along the portion extending vertically within the ball-transporting passage 703.

In the normal state of the ball sending unit 700, the ball sending solenoid 706 is de-energized (OFF). Therefore, gravity causes the metal plate 708a of the transmission member 708 to move downward away from the magnetic pole portion of the ball sending solenoid 706. In this state, the underside of the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball sending movable member 705 abuts against the bottom wall at the downstream end of the ball sending passage 703, the front end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a is aligned with the ball sending outlet 702, and the right end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a is not aligned with the ball sending passage 703. Therefore, a game ball B flowing from upstream toward the ball receiving portion 705a abuts against the U-shaped upper ball stop portion 705e of the ball receiving portion 705a and is not received by the ball receiving portion 705a. Meanwhile, the game ball B received in the ball receiving portion 705a rolls forward due to the inclination of the bottom wall of the ball receiving portion 705a and is released forward from the ball discharge port 702.

When a game ball B has come into contact with the ball stopping portion 705e of the ball-transporting movable member 705, stopping the ball transport, as shown in Figure 62, it is located on the axis connecting the center of rotation of the ball-transporting movable member 705 and the center of the game ball B it is contacting. This allows the ball pressure from the game ball B acting on the ball stopping portion 705e to be received by the first shaft pin 710a, preventing the ball-transporting movable member 705 from rotating and falling toward the ball launching unit 550 due to the ball pressure of multiple game balls B stored up to the ball transport unit 700.

In addition, under normal conditions, the ball stopping portion 705e is positioned on the axis connecting the center of the first axle pin 710a and the center of the stopped game ball B. Therefore, even if the game ball B abutting the ball stopping portion 705e vibrates up and down due to thuds or vibrations from the surrounding area, the ball sending movable member 705 can be rotated around the first axle pin 710a so that the ball stopping portion 705e follows the vibrations of the game ball B, preventing the ball stopping effect of the ball stopping portion 705e from being released. This prevents a game ball B that has been released from the ball stopping portion 705e due to thuds or other factors from being discharged to the foul unit 570 via the ball launching unit 550 and being added to the player's ball count as a foul ball.

In this normal state, when the ball-transmitting solenoid 706 is energized (ON), the magnetic force generated in the magnetic pole portion of the ball-transmitting solenoid 706 attracts the metal plate 708a of the transmission member 708 toward the upper magnetic pole portion, causing the transmission member 708 to rotate clockwise around its bearing portion 708d. When the transmission member 708 rotates clockwise, the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-transmitting movable member 705, which is engaged with the drive gear portion 708e of the transmission member 708, causes the ball-transmitting movable member 705 to rotate counterclockwise around its bearing portion 705c, causing the ball-receiving portion 705a to move upward.

When the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball-transporting movable member 705 moves upward, the front end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a no longer coincides with the ball outlet 702, and the right end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a coincides with the ball transport passage 703, allowing the game ball B to be received by the ball receiving portion 705a from the ball transport passage 703. In this state, because the right end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a does not coincide with the ball outlet 702, the game ball B received by the ball receiving portion 705a does not roll forward and is not released from the ball outlet 702. Furthermore, because the ball receiving portion 705a is sized to accommodate only one game ball B, when one game ball B is received by the ball receiving portion 705a, game balls B upstream of it will not be received by the ball receiving portion 705a.

After that, when the power to the ball-transporting solenoid 706 is stopped (OFF), the attraction of the magnetic pole of the ball-transporting solenoid 706 to the metal plate 708a of the transmission member 708 is released. At this time, because game ball B is received in the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball-transporting movable member 705, the ball-transporting movable member 705 rotates clockwise around its bearing portion 705c so that the weight of game ball B causes the ball receiving portion 705a to move downward, and the transmission member 708 rotates counterclockwise around its bearing portion 708d via the drive gear portion 708e, which is engaged with the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-transporting movable member 705, returning to its normal state.

When the ball sending unit 700 returns to its normal state, the front end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball sending movable member 705 coincides with the ball sending outlet 702, causing the game ball B received in the ball receiving portion 705a to roll forward and be released from the ball sending outlet 702 to the ball launching unit 550.

In this way, with the ball sending unit 700 of this embodiment, game balls B can be sent one by one to the ball launching unit 550 by turning the ball sending solenoid 706 ON and OFF.

[4-6a. Ball sending unit of the second embodiment]
Although the ball sending unit of the second embodiment is not shown in the drawings, it is the ball sending unit 700 of the first embodiment, to which a ball sending outlet sensor 711 is added at the outlet (ball sending outlet 702) for the game ball B. This ball sending outlet sensor 711 is a pass-through type proximity sensor, and detects the game ball B by the same detection method for the game ball B as that used for winning ports, etc.

In other words, the output from the ball outlet sensor 711 is checked at a predetermined interrupt period (for example, every 4 ms), and if the output is non-detected, detected, detected (in other words, "011"), it is determined that game ball B has been detected (ON).

This ball outlet sensor 711 is connected to the frame control board 740 as shown in the block diagram of Figure 69.

[4-7. Ball receiving tray]
The ball receiving tray 720 in the main body frame 4 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 6, 7, 20, etc. The ball receiving tray 720 is provided below the circulating ball path unit 600 and is used to receive game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600. The ball receiving tray 720 is formed in the shape of a container that is open upward, and the bottom wall is inclined so that it becomes lower toward the front.

The ball receiving tray 720 is attached by being inserted from the front into the tray insertion recess 501f in the main frame base 501. The ball receiving tray 720 has elastic claws 721 on both the left and right side walls, and when attached to the main frame base 501, the elastic claws 721 are engaged with the locking claws 501n of the main frame base 501, preventing it from slipping out forward. To remove the ball receiving tray 720, the elastic claws 721 are elastically deformed inward of the ball receiving tray 720, releasing the engagement and allowing it to be pulled out forward.

When attaching the ball receiving tray 720 to the tray insertion recess 501f of the main frame base 501, the ball receiving tray 720 is moved rearward from the front of the tray insertion recess 501f and inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f. During this process, the front end of the locking claw 501n is inclined like an arrowhead. When the elastic claw 721 of the ball receiving tray 720 abuts the locking claw 501n from the front, the arrowhead-like inclination causes the elastic claw 721 to elastically deform inward, allowing the ball receiving tray 720 to be inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f. Then, when the elastic claw 721 of the ball receiving tray 720 passes the locking claw 501n and is no longer abutting the locking claw 501n, the elastically deformed elastic claw 721 returns to its original state and is locked by the locking claw 501n, preventing the ball receiving tray 720 from sliding forward.

This ball receiving tray 720 is placed on the bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f, which is sloped so that the front end is lower. As a result, when game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 accumulate and become heavy, the ball receiving tray 720 attempts to slide forward due to the slope of the bottom wall, but this is prevented by the engagement between the elastic claw 721 and the locking claw 501n. When the elastic claw 721 releases its engagement with the locking claw 501n, the weight of the stored game balls B causes the ball receiving tray 720 to automatically slide forward, allowing the ball receiving tray 720 to be easily removed from the tray insertion recess 501f.

Although not shown in the figures, when the ball sending unit 700 of this embodiment is attached to the main body frame 4, the wiring connector is connected to the ball sending relay board 707 so that it penetrates the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501 from the front. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to remove the ball sending unit upward from the ball sending unit mounting portion 501k with the wiring connector connected, the wiring connector interferes and the unit cannot be removed.

In addition, when the ball sending unit 700 is attached to the main frame 4 and assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the game panel 1100 of the game board 5 is positioned above the ball sending unit 700, and the ball sending unit 700 will not slip out upward. Furthermore, if the game board 5 is inserted from the front into the game board insertion portion 502 while the ball sending unit 700 is not completely inserted from above into the ball sending unit mounting portion 501k of the main frame 4, the top of the ball sending unit 700 will be pressed downward by the game board 5 (game panel 1100), allowing it to be inserted completely.

[4-8. Frame board unit]
The frame base unit 730 in the main body frame 4 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 17, 18, 63 to 65, etc. Figure 63 is an oblique view showing the main body frame opened relative to the outer frame, with the back cover and frame base unit also open. Figure 64 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the frame base unit in the outer frame and main body frame. Figure 65 is a reference photograph showing the rear side of the main body frame with the frame base unit open. The frame control board 740, which will be described in detail later, is used to display the number of balls held on the ball number display unit 140, process settlements by operating the counting button switch 180, control the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, ball sending unit 700, etc., and manage (monitor) the game balls B in the circulating ball path unit 600.

The frame board unit 730 is openably and closably attached to the rear portion of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500. The frame board unit 730 includes a frame control board 740, a power supply board 750, an interface board 760, and a game ball and other dispensing device connection terminal board 765.

The frame board unit 730 also includes a unit base 770 that is attached to the rear of the main frame base unit 500 in an openable and closable manner, a frame control board box 771 that is attached to the rear of the unit base 770 and houses the frame control board 740, a power supply board box 772 that is attached between the frame control board box 771 and the unit base 770 and houses the power supply board 750, an interface board box 773 that is attached to the unit base 770 to the left of the frame control board box 771 when viewed from the front and houses the interface board 760 and the game ball etc. dispensing device connection terminal board 765, and a Nylatch 774 that secures the unit base 770 to the main frame base unit 500 so that it cannot be opened or closed. The Nylatch 774 has the same configuration as the Nylatch 694 described above, and a detailed description of its configuration will be omitted.

The frame control board 740, although not shown in the figure, is equipped with a ROM that stores various processing programs and commands, a RAM for temporarily storing data, a CPU that executes processing programs and commands, and so on.

The frame control board 740 has a RAM clear switch 741 for erasing information stored in RAM, a ball removal switch 742 used to remove the enclosed game ball B from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), and a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 (also referred to as the ball count clear switch 743) for clearing the number of balls the player has stored in RAM etc. and clearing the display on the ball count display unit 140 of the door frame 3 (see Figures 4 and 68, etc.).

When the ball removal switch 742 is pressed, the ball lifting mechanism 660 and other mechanisms operate for a certain period of time almost unconditionally. At this time, the operator opens the ball removal shutter 615 while the door frame 3 is open from the main frame 4, and ejects game balls B into the ball receiving tray 720. Opening the door frame 3 also causes the foul shutter 571 to close, causing game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 to hit the foul shutter 571, becoming foul balls and being collected and then ejected. The ball count clear switch 743 is used to clear the number of balls remaining on the frame control board 740 due to some accident, such as the removal of the game ball dispensing device 8. Although not shown, there are partitions between each switch, allowing only one switch to be pressed at a time with one finger. Furthermore, if the RAM clear switch 741, ball removal switch 742, and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 (ball count clear switch 743) are assigned priorities that become active when pressed simultaneously, or conversely, if different functions are assigned when pressed simultaneously, then there is no need to provide partitions between the switches.

The frame control board 740 is connected via two-way communication to the main control board 1310 (described later) provided on the gaming board 5, and is also connected via two-way communication to the gaming ball etc. lending device connection terminal board 765. The frame control board 740 is connected to the gaming ball etc. lending device 8 via the gaming ball etc. lending device connection terminal board 765.

The frame control board 740 is connected to the door frame 3's ball count display unit 140, firing stop switch 161, handle touch sensor 162, handle rotation sensor 163, and count button switch 180.

In addition, the frame control board 740 is connected to the door opening switch 507 of the main frame 4, the frame opening switch 508, the launch solenoid 553, the launch subtraction sensor 554, the out ball sensor 605, the safe ball sensor 606, the foul ball sensor 607, the circulating ball shortage sensor 621, the circulating ball excess sensor 622, the lifting inlet sensor 653, the lifting outlet sensor 654, the lifting motor 664, the lifting motor index sensor 666, the ball motor 688, the launch front sensor 704, and the ball sending solenoid 706.

The power supply board 750 is used to supply power at a specified voltage to the frame control board 740, main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, etc. A power switch 751 is provided near the right end of the rear surface of the power supply board 750. This power switch 751 is exposed to the rear from the power supply board box 772 so that it can be operated.

The interface board 760 serves to relay connections between the frame control board 740 and various relay boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5.

The gaming ball etc. lending device connection terminal board 765 is used to relay the connection between the frame control board 740 and the gaming ball etc. lending device 8.

The unit base 770 is elongated from side to side, with a hinge shaft 770a at its left end that is supported by the frame substrate unit shaft support portion 504d on the rear surface of the main frame speaker box 504 of the main frame base unit 500, and two Nylatches 774 attached to its right end with their operating portions 774a facing rearward.

The unit base 770 has a rear portion 770b that extends to the right from the left end by a length that is one-quarter of the total length in the left-right direction in a plan view, a connecting portion 770c that extends forward a short distance from the right end of the rear portion 770b, and a front portion 770d that extends from the front end of the connecting portion 770c to the right end. As a result, the unit base 770 has a step in the front-to-rear direction between the rear portion 770b and the front portion 770d.

An interface board box 773 is removably attached to the rear side of the rear surface 770b of the unit base 770. Meanwhile, a power supply board box 772 is removably attached to the rear side of the front surface 770d of the unit base 770, and a frame control board box 771 is removably attached to the rear side of the power supply board box 772.

The unit base 770 also has a power harness housing 770e, located above the area where the frame control board box 771 and power board box 772 are attached. The power harness housing 770e extends left and right and is recessed from rear to front. The area near the left end, close to the hinge axis 770a, of this power harness housing 770e is wider. The power harness housing 770e is provided with a guide rib, which can accommodate the bundled power harness PH (see Figure 65). This prevents the power harness PH (power cord) from getting in the way during assembly, up to the point where the frame board unit 730 is attached to the main frame base unit 500, improving the efficiency of the assembly process.

In addition, as shown in Figure 64, a portion of the rear of the power harness storage section 770e overlaps with a portion of the lower end of the rear cover 505. This means that even if the power harness PH becomes free while transporting the main body frame 4, etc., it can be prevented from popping out by abutting against the rear cover 505, preventing the power harness PH from popping out and being accidentally caught and damaged.

In the normal state (usage state) of the frame base unit 730 of this embodiment, the hinge shaft 770a on the left end of the unit base 770 is journaled on the frame base unit journal support portion 504d of the main body frame base unit 500, and the Nylatch 774 attached to the right end of the unit base 770 is attached to the support protrusion 501r on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501. In this state, the frame base unit 730 covers the rear of the circulating ball path unit 600 and ball lifting unit 650 attached to the rear side of the base wall portion 501b, making them inaccessible.

In addition, under normal conditions, as shown in FIG. 20, the front surface 770d of the unit base 770 of the frame substrate unit 730, the power supply substrate box 772, and the frame control substrate box 771 are positioned above the box extension section 504c of the main frame speaker box 504. In this case, because the front surface 770d and the power supply substrate box 772 are formed shorter vertically than the frame control substrate box 771, a space capable of accommodating wiring, etc. is formed between the power supply substrate box 772 and the box extension section 504c.

Furthermore, in the normal state, as shown in Figure 64, the front end of the rear cover 505 is located behind the upper Nylatch 774, preventing the operating portion 774a of the Nylatch 774 from being pulled. Also, in the normal state, the lower part of the rear cover 505 overlaps with the rear of the frame substrate unit 730. As a result, unless the rear cover 505 is opened from the main body frame base 501, the rear cover 505 interferes (abuts) and the frame substrate unit 730 cannot be opened rearward (is prevented from opening).

Therefore, under normal conditions, even if the Nylatch 774 is unlocked for some reason and the frame substrate unit 730 attempts to hinge backward, the lower part of the rear cover 505 is positioned behind it, preventing the frame substrate unit 730 from hingedly rotating and opening from the main frame base 501. This prevents the frame substrate unit 730 from coming into contact with the outer frame 2 and being damaged when the main frame 4 is opened from the outer frame 2 while the frame substrate unit 730 is open from the main frame base 501.

To check the circulating ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, etc., on the rear side of the main body frame 4 from this normal position, first open the main body frame 4 forward relative to the outer frame 2. Then, open the rear cover 505 rearward from the main body frame base 501, and pull the operating portion 774a of the Nylatch 774 rearward to unlock it. This releases the unit from the support protrusion 501r on the right end of the unit base 770. Rotating the frame base unit 730 around the hinge axis 770a on the left end allows the frame base unit 730 to be opened rearward. Opening the frame base unit 730 rearward reveals the circulating ball path unit 600 and ball lifting unit 650 attached to the rear side of the base wall portion 501b, allowing access to them (see Figures 63 and 65).

When the frame substrate unit 730 is opened to the rear, as shown in Figure 65, the main body frame base 501 is opaque and black, while the main body frame speaker box 504, circulating ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, etc. are made of transparent materials, allowing the interiors of these components to be seen (checked) from the outside.

To return the frame substrate unit 730 from its rearward open position to its normal position, follow the steps above in reverse order.

However, if you first close the rear cover 505 against the main frame base 501 when returning the frame substrate unit 730 to its normal state after opening it from the main frame base 501, the frame substrate unit 730 will interfere with (abut against) the rear cover 505 and will not be able to close when you try to close it. Also, if you try to close the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2 while the frame substrate unit 730 is open (the rear cover 505 is open), the frame substrate unit 730 and the rear cover 505 will interfere with (abut against) the outer frame 2, preventing it from closing. This allows you to know if you have forgotten to close the frame substrate unit 730.

In addition, even if you forget to press (lock) the operating portion 774a of the Nylatch 774 after closing the frame substrate unit 730 against the main frame base 501, when you close the rear cover 505 against the main frame base 501, the front end of the lower right corner of the rear cover 505 will abut against the operating portion 774a of the Nylatch 774 from behind, pressing the operating portion 774a and locking it.

[4-9. Lock unit]
The lock unit 780 in the main frame 4 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 6 and 7. The lock unit 780 is attached from the rear along the right edge of the main frame base 501 in the main frame base unit 500 when viewed from the front. The lock unit 780 is used to lock the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, and the door frame 3 and the main frame 4.

The lock unit 780 has a cylindrical lock cylinder 781 that passes through the cylinder insertion opening 501m of the main frame base 501 from the rear and has its front end protruding forward; a keyhole 782 provided on the front end surface of the lock cylinder 781; a door frame lock claw 783 that unlocks the door frame 3 and main frame 4 when a corresponding key is inserted into the keyhole 782 and rotated in a specified direction; and an outer frame lock claw 784 that unlocks the main frame 4 and outer frame 2 when a corresponding key is inserted into the keyhole 782 and rotated in a direction different from the above.

[4-10. Second counting button switch]
As explained in the chapter [3. Door Frame], the door frame 3 is provided with a counting button switch 180, but the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment is also provided with another counting button switch. Here, the aforementioned counting button switch will be referred to as the first counting button switch 180, and the other counting button switch will be referred to as the second counting button switch 180B. Below, the pachinko machine 1 equipped with the second counting button switch 180B will be explained with reference to Figures 2, 4, 18, 68, etc.

In so-called circulation-type (enclosed) gaming machines (this pachinko machine 1), the number of balls held is increased or decreased using electronic memory means, and the game progresses without paying out game ball B. This has the advantage that the player does not have to touch game ball B. However, on the other hand, because the game progresses without the physical presence of game ball B, players are required to exercise careful consideration in handling their balls. In particular, if the payment cannot be settled at the end of play, the hall may lose credibility.

For example, in a conventional pachinko machine with an internal circulation system, such as that disclosed in JP 2016-215033 A (see paragraphs 0038-0040), where the settlement process is executed when the return button 75 is operated, if a malfunction occurs in the return button 75, the settlement process will not be executed.

In this embodiment, the second counting button switch 180B is connected to the frame control board 740 and is connected in parallel to the first counting button switch 180 described above on the frame control board 740 via printed wiring, so that the settlement process can also be performed by operating the second counting button switch 180B (see Figures 18 and 68, etc.).

The first counting button switch 180 is a counting button switch operated by the player to execute the settlement process, and is located on the door frame 3 of the pachinko machine 1 so that it can be operated from the front of the pachinko machine 1 as shown in Figure 2. Meanwhile, the second counting button switch 180B is a counting button switch operated by the gaming facility manager on behalf of the player to execute the settlement process in the unforeseen event that the settlement process cannot be executed even when the first counting button switch 180 is operated, and is located on the rear side of the pachinko machine 1, on the open side of the main frame 4, so that it can be operated from the rear of the pachinko machine 1 as shown in Figure 4.

The second counting button switch 180B is a press-operated button switch, and is mounted on a printed circuit board with through holes for screw fastening at the four corners and a pattern insulated with green resist. Bosses for screw fastening are formed in a portion of the main frame base unit 500 that constitutes the main frame 4, an area not covered by the rear cover 505, which is hinged on one side and can be opened and closed, such as the space to the left of the frame control board box 771, and the printed circuit board is fixed to the bosses with screws so that the operating surface of the second counting button switch 180B mounted on the printed circuit board faces rearward.

The first counting button switch 180 also uses the same press-button switch as the second counting button switch 180B. The printed circuit board also has the same dimensions and shape, and is mounted on a printed circuit board with through holes for screw fastening at the four corners, the pattern of which is insulated with green resist. Bosses for screw fastening are formed on the back surface of the shelf portion 201 that makes up the shelf unit 200, and the printed circuit board is fixed to the bosses with screws so that the operating surface of the first counting button switch 180 mounted on the printed circuit board faces through an opening in the shelf portion 201. In other words, the components related to the first counting button switch 180 and the second counting button switch 180 are the same.

The entire surface of the operating part of the second counting button switch 180B is plated, and the operating part is electrically grounded through conductive parts such as the frame (main body frame 4) and wiring that make up the pachinko machine 1. The frame, which serves as a path, is made of conductive resin, and resistor elements are provided midway through the wiring that serves as the path to prevent sudden current outflows.

In addition to the second counting button switch 180B, the printed circuit board on which the second counting button switch 180B is mounted also has a white connector (male) mounted thereon to connect to a wiring connector (female on both ends) for transmitting signals from the second counting button switch to the frame control board 740, and the signal is transmitted by directly connecting to the white connector (male) mounted on the frame control board 740. The input circuit on the frame control board 740, to which the signal from the second counting button switch 180B is input, is configured with noise removal elements (e.g., ferrite beads) and circuits (e.g., comparators).

The operating section of the first counting button switch 180 is also electrically grounded. The signal from the first counting button switch 180B is first connected to a white male connector mounted on the relay board via wiring (female on both ends), and then another white male connector mounted on the relay board is connected to a white male connector mounted on the frame control board 740 via wiring (female on both ends) for signal transmission. The input circuit on the frame control board 740, to which the first counting button switch 180 is connected, also includes noise-removal elements (e.g., ferrite beads) and circuits (e.g., comparators). The wiring connecting the boards is of the same type, e.g., 24AWG stranded wire, although the lengths are different, and the sheathing is the same color. Because the wiring transmits signals to the frame control board 740, the manufacturer's name and product number are repeatedly printed on the sheathing.

If the first counting button switch 180 is broken, the amusement facility manager, upon receiving a notification from the player, opens the main frame 4 and operates the second counting button switch 180B. The frame control board 740 executes the settlement process while transmitting the operation of the second counting button switch 180B to the peripheral control board 1510 via the main control board 1310. The peripheral control board 1510 issues an announcement from the various speakers connected to the peripheral control board 1510 (door frame top speaker 303, door frame top side speaker 304, main frame speaker 503) indicating that the settlement process has been executed (a "beep beep" sound is emitted while the second counting button switch 180B is being operated). Note that if there is no malfunction in the first counting button switch 180, the announcement that the settlement process has been executed is also made using the various speakers when the first counting button switch 180 is operated.

In order to detect the opening of the door frame 3 or main frame 4 from the perspective of fraud, a door open switch 507 and a frame open switch 508 are provided on the main frame base 501, each connected to the frame control board 740. (See Figures 18 and 68, etc.) When either switch is opened, the opening is notified from the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 emits an alarm sound (announcement that the door frame is open) from various speakers connected to the peripheral control board 1510 (door frame top speaker 303, door frame top side speaker 304, main frame speaker 503), and a decorative board equipped with multiple LEDs, which is provided behind the decorative element (door frame top decorative element 301, etc.) that decorates the door frame 3, lights up and flashes from its normal state to its alarm state (red). When all panels are closed, this is communicated to the peripheral control board 1510, the alarm stops, and only the decorative board continues to light up and flash, after which it transitions to its normal state after a predetermined period of time has passed.

For security reasons, when the second counting button switch 180B is operated, an alarm sound is emitted when one of the doors is opened, and an announcement regarding the operation of the second counting button switch 180B is played over the alarm sound.

As described above, with the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, if the first counting button switch 180 operated by the player breaks, the second counting button switch 180B operated by the gaming facility manager can be operated to execute the settlement process. As a result, even if an unforeseen incident occurs with the first counting button switch 180, the second counting button switch 180B can be operated to settle the account.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the second counting button switch 180B is not for normal use but is intended to respond to unforeseen circumstances such as when the first counting button switch 108 breaks. Therefore, it is located on the rear of the pachinko machine 1, where only the gaming facility manager knows about it. This prevents players from misunderstanding things. Furthermore, when operating it in front of a player, it is located in a position near the open side so that it can be operated without having to fully open the main frame 4. This allows for quick response to player requests.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the first counting button switch 180 and the second counting button switch 180B share the same counting button switch and the printed circuit board on which they are mounted. This reduces costs. Also, the operating parts of the counting button switches (first counting button switch 180 and second counting button switch 180B) that are touched by players and gaming facility managers are electrically grounded. This avoids the risk of the control boards (frame control board 740, main control board 1310, etc.) malfunctioning due to static electricity accumulated by players or gaming facility managers.

The above describes a preferred embodiment of the second counting button switch 180B, but it is not limited to this embodiment, and various improvements and design modifications are possible, as described below.

For example, instead of providing the second counting button switch 180B on the rear side of the main body frame 4, it may be provided on the rear side of the door frame 3 or on the front side of the main body frame 4. In such cases, it is also recommended to provide it near the open side.

It may also be mounted on the side of the pachinko machine 1. For example, a screw-mounting boss is formed on the left side of the unit base 770 (see Figure 18) of the frame board unit 730 when viewed from the rear, and the four corners of the printed circuit board are fixed to the boss with screws, with the operating surface facing sideways so that it can be operated from the side of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, when mounted on the side of the pachinko machine 1, it is preferable to store the printed circuit board on which the second counting button switch 180B is mounted in a dedicated board box so that the entire board box can be installed. According to the above, when operating in front of a player, quick operation is possible with less opening than when the main frame 4 is fully opened, allowing for quick response to the player's requests. Furthermore, when opening or closing on the open side, there is a risk that the hinge of the outer frame 2 supporting the main frame 4 may rattle and hit the outer frame 2. Therefore, storing the printed circuit board in a dedicated board box minimizes damage compared to when it is not stored.

If it is possible to operate it when necessary, it is also possible to store the dedicated circuit board box separately and connect it to the pachinko machine 1 when necessary to process the settlement. In this configuration, it does not need to be connected to the pachinko machine 1 at all times, so there are no restrictions on the size of the circuit board box. It is a good idea to provide a separate connector cap for the connector to which it is connected to prevent poor contact due to dust and dirt.

In addition to being able to attach a printed circuit board on which the counting button switches (first counting button switch 180 or second counting button switch 180B) are mounted or a dedicated circuit board box housing the printed circuit board, these may be unitized with other gaming devices and even the design part, and configured to be replaceable on a unit-by-unit basis. For example, the entire shelf unit 200 may be configured to be replaceable, or only the shelf part 201 of the shelf unit 200 may be configured to be replaceable together with the design part, or the shelf part 201 may be further subdivided, for example, so that the first counting button switch part (180) and the ball holding number display part (140) are configured separately and can be configured to be replaceable individually together with the design part. According to the above, for example, in cases where the first counting button switch 180 and even the design part break (cases where the second counting button switch would have to be used), it is conceivable that the player may become so excited playing that they accidentally hit the shelf unit 200 hard, damaging the design part of the shelf unit 200. In such an event, the entire shelf unit 200 can be replaced, or depending on the degree of damage, the shelf part 201 and the design part can be replaced together, or the first counting button switch part (180) and the design part can be replaced together.

In addition, instead of mounting the second counting button switch 180B on a printed circuit board and attaching it to bosses formed on the main frame base unit 500 or base unit 770, or storing the printed circuit board in a dedicated circuit board box, the second counting button switch 180B can be mounted on various control boards. In such cases, it is recommended to select the control board located closest to the open side and mount the switch on the control board at the front of the open side. However, if the second counting button switch 180B is mounted on a frame control board 740 housed in a frame control board box 771, for example, there is a risk that foreign objects may be inserted through the gap between the second counting button switch 180B and the opening on the case side of the frame control board box 771 that faces the operation surface, thereby gaining access to the various electronic components mounted on the frame control board 740. Therefore, it is recommended to form a partition wall extending from the inside of the case of the frame control board box 771 and abutting the surface of the frame control board 740 to surround the outer periphery of the second counting button switch 180B. It is also recommended to provide a cover on the exterior of the case to cover the operation surface and prevent tampering. The above-mentioned features prevent damage caused by the insertion of foreign objects through the opened opening. In addition to preventing fraud, providing a cover also serves as a warning to the amusement facility manager who operates the second counting button switch 180B not to operate it carelessly.

Furthermore, when installing the second counting button switch 180B on various control boards, it is not necessary to use the same one as the first counting button switch 180; it is preferable to use a button switch that is small enough that the amusement facility manager can operate it reliably. It is also preferable to install the button switch near the fixing point where the control board is fixed to the board box so that the control board does not bend when pressed. As mentioned above, the smaller the opening facing the operating surface of the operating unit, the more difficult it is to insert foreign objects through the gap. Furthermore, the mounting space can be further reduced. And mechanical stress on other electronic components can be avoided.

As mentioned above, the frame control board 740 is equipped with RAM that stores the number of balls held by each player, and like the second counting button switch 180B, it is equipped with a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 that affects the ball count memory area of this RAM. This ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is used to forcibly erase the number of balls held by the previous player that is stored in RAM in the unlikely event that the previous player leaves without completing the settlement process, so that the next player can play promptly. When the power switch 751 is turned ON while pressing the ball count memory/display clear switch 743, a code indicating that the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 has been operated is displayed on the ball count display unit 140, and the previous player's stored ball count is erased from the ball count memory area of the RAM. After 30 seconds have passed, the code display is erased and normal gameplay resumes. According to the above, even if you accidentally operate the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 when you intend to operate the second count button switch 180B, or if you operate the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 at the same time as the second count button switch 180B, there will be no problems in either case because the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 must be operated along with the power switch 751. Furthermore, when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is operated, an announcement will also be made over the various speakers indicating that the ball count has been erased from the ball count memory area ("Ball count cleared").

The second counting button switch 180B is connected to the frame control board 740 and is connected in parallel to the first counting button switch 180 described above via printed wiring on the frame control board 740. Operating the second counting button switch 180B also initiates the settlement process. In other words, the second counting button switch 180B behaves exactly the same as operating the first counting button switch 180. However, the counting button switch may alternatively be individually connected to the frame control board 740. For example, when the CPU mounted on the frame control board 740 detects that the door open switch 507 or the frame open switch 508 is in the open state, it checks the state of the second counting button switch 180B. When the CPU detects that the second counting button switch 180B has been operated, it executes the settlement process and notifies the peripheral control board 1510 via the main control board 1310 that the second counting button switch 180B has been operated. The CPU mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 receives this notification and can stop the notification sounds that had been emitted from the various speakers, having previously determined that the machine was in the open state. After the notification sounds have stopped, the various speakers are used to make an announcement indicating that the settlement process has been carried out. Note that, for security reasons, the decorative board will continue to light and flash in its notification mode until a predetermined period of time has passed, at which point it will transition to its normal mode. As described above, the notification sounds can be stopped quickly, minimizing any discomfort experienced by players.

In addition, when the counting button switches are individually connected to the frame control board 740 as described above, the second counting button switch 180B is assumed to be operated when the door frame 3 or main frame 4 is in the open state, so it is possible to prevent the settlement process from being performed when the door frame 3 or main frame 4 is in the closed state.

Although similar content will be provided later, we will now describe the technical features of the second counting button switch 180B. As mentioned above, in so-called circulation (enclosed) gaming machines (pachinko machines), the number of balls held is increased or decreased using electronic memory means, allowing play to proceed without the need to pay out balls. This has the advantage that players do not have to touch the balls. However, because play proceeds without the need for physical balls, players are required to exercise careful consideration in handling their balls. In particular, if settlement is not possible at the end of play, the hall may lose credibility.

For example, in a conventional gaming machine such as the in-machine recycle type pachinko machine disclosed in JP 2016-215033 A (see paragraphs 0038-0040), where the settlement process is executed when the return button 75 is operated, if a malfunction occurs in the return button 75, the settlement process will not be executed.

The following solution takes into consideration the above situation and aims to provide a gaming machine that can process payments even in the event of an unforeseen problem with the operating unit.

As a solution to the above problems,
Means 1:
"The game machine comprises a game board that is detachably supported from the front of the main frame and has a game area where games are played with game balls, a ball launching means that is provided below the game board and is capable of supplying game balls to the game area, a foul ball recovery means that recovers game balls that are launched by the ball launching means but not supplied to the game area, and a ball circulation means that recovers game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means.
A gaming machine in which game balls are shot by the ball shooting means based on the digitized ball data of a player,
a first settlement switch for a player to execute settlement processing of the ball holding data;
and a second settlement switch for allowing the gaming facility manager to execute the settlement process for the ball possession data.
(See the description in the section [4-10. Second Counting Button Switch] in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention], and Figures 2, 4, 18, 68, etc.)

According to the above-mentioned method 1, if the first settlement switch operated by the player breaks down, the second settlement switch operated by the gaming facility manager can be operated to execute the settlement process. This means that even if an unforeseen problem occurs with the first settlement switch, the second settlement switch can be operated to settle the account.

Means 2: In the gaming machine of means 1,
"The first adjustment switch is provided on the door frame of the gaming machine so that it can be operated from the front side of the gaming machine, while the second adjustment switch is provided on the rear side of the gaming machine so that it can be operated from the rear side of the gaming machine with the main body frame open." (See the description of the first counting button switch 180 and the second counting button switch 180B in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

According to the above-mentioned method 2, the second adjustment switch is not for normal use but is intended to respond to unforeseen circumstances such as when the first adjustment switch breaks down, and is therefore located on the back of the gaming machine, where only the gaming facility manager knows about it. This prevents players from being misled.

Means 3: In the gaming machine of means 2,
The second adjustment switch is located closer to the open side of the main body frame than the center of the gaming machine. (See the description of the second counting button switch 180B in the Detailed Description of the Invention.)

According to the above-mentioned means 3, the mechanism is positioned in front of the opening side so that it can be operated in the presence of a player without having to fully open the main frame. This allows for quick response to player requests.

Means 4: In the gaming machine of means 1 to 3,
"The first adjustment switch and the second precision switch, and the printed circuit board on which the first adjustment switch is mounted and the printed circuit board on which the second adjustment switch is mounted, are common." (See the description of the first counting button switch 180 and the second counting button switch 180B in the "Description of Embodiments").

According to Measure 4 above, the first adjustment switch and the second adjustment switch are mounted on a common printed circuit board, etc., which reduces costs.

Means 5: A gaming machine according to means 1 to 4,
"The surface of the operating portion of the second adjustment switch is electrically grounded." (See the description of the second counting button switch 180B in the Detailed Description of the Invention.)

According to Measure 5 above, the operating section of the second adjustment switch, which is touched by players and amusement facility managers, is electrically grounded. This avoids the risk of the control board malfunctioning due to static electricity accumulated by players or amusement facility managers.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that allows settlement even if an unforeseen event occurs during the settlement process.

Regarding the relationship between the above solution and this embodiment, the first counting button switch 180 of this embodiment corresponds to the first adjustment switch of the above solution, and the second counting button switch 180B of this embodiment corresponds to the second adjustment switch of the above solution.

The characteristic effects of the embodiment of the above-mentioned solution are as follows: First, according to the above-mentioned solution 1, if the first counting button switch 180 operated by the player breaks, the second counting button switch 180B operated by the gaming facility manager can be operated to execute the settlement process. As a result, even if an unexpected problem occurs with the first counting button switch 180, the second counting button switch 180B can be operated to settle the account.

Furthermore, according to the above-mentioned method 2, the second counting button switch 180B is not for normal use but is intended to respond to unforeseen circumstances such as when the first counting button switch 108 breaks, and is therefore located on the back of the gaming machine, where only the gaming facility manager knows about it. This prevents players from being misled.

Furthermore, according to the above-mentioned means 3, when operating in the presence of a player, the main frame 4 is positioned in front of the opening side so that it can be operated without having to be fully opened. This allows for quick response to player requests.

Furthermore, according to the above-mentioned method 4, the first counting button switch 180 and the second counting button switch 180B are mounted on a common printed circuit board, etc., which reduces costs.

Furthermore, according to the above-mentioned method 5, the operating portion of the second counting button switch 180B, which is touched by players and amusement facility managers, is electrically grounded. This avoids the risk of the control board malfunctioning due to static electricity accumulated by players or amusement facility managers.

[5. Brief explanation of the game board]
The game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 has the same board configuration as the game board 5 shown in Figure 164 (described later), and will be briefly described here with reference to Figure 8. The game board 5 has prize openings such as a general prize opening 2001, a first start opening 2003, a second start opening 2004, and a special prize opening 2005 within a play area 5a into which a game ball B is shot, and which award a special prize when the game ball B is received. A player operates a handle 160 to receive the game ball B into the prize opening, allowing the player to enjoy shooting the game ball B. The game board 5 is detachably attached from the front to the game board insertion portion 502 of the main frame 4. When assembled in the pachinko machine 1, the game board 5 is visible to the player through the game window 101 of the door frame 3, and has a play area 5a into which the game ball B is shot by the player operating the handle 160.

The game board 5 comprises a front component 1000 that defines the outer periphery of the game area 5a and has a generally rectangular outer shape when viewed from the front; a plate-shaped game panel 1100 that is attached to the rear side of the front component 1000 and defines the rear end of the game area 5a; and a plurality of obstacle nails (not shown) planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement within the game area 5a on the front side of the game panel 1100 so as to be able to come into contact with the game ball B.

The front component 1000 of the game board 5 is formed entirely transparent. The front component 1000 has a roughly square exterior when viewed from the front, and a roughly circular interior that penetrates in the front-to-back direction, with the inner periphery of the interior defining the outer periphery of the game area 5a. The front component 1000 includes an outer rail 1001 that extends in an arc from the lower end toward the left of the center in the left-to-right direction in a front view, passing the upper end in the center in the left-to-right direction in a front view, and extending diagonally upward to the right; an inner rail 1002 that is positioned inside the front component 1000 roughly along the outer rail 1001 and extends in an arc from the lower center in the left-to-right direction in a front view to the upper left diagonal direction in a 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 when viewed from the front, and is sloped 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 out guide section 1003, located at the bottom center in the left-right direction when viewed from the front within the frame. A game ball B received in the outlet 1008 is discharged downward from the game board 5 (to the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulating ball path unit 600) behind the game panel 1100 without being returned to the game area 5a.

The game board 5 is equipped with a main control board 1310 located behind the game panel 1100 and controls the game content, which is played by shooting the game ball B into the game area 5a, and 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 component 1000 so that it can be seen by the player.

The gaming board 5 also includes a peripheral control board 1510 located behind the gaming panel 1100, an effect display device 1600 located behind the gaming panel 1100 in the center of the gaming area 5a when viewed from the front and capable of displaying predetermined effect images, a front unit 2000 attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100, and a back unit 3000 attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100.

The gaming board 5 (front unit 2000) is equipped with multiple general winning openings 2001 that are always open and can accept gaming balls B shot into the gaming area 5a; gates 2015 that are located at predetermined positions within the gaming area 5a and allow gaming balls B to pass through; first starting openings 2003 and second starting openings 2004 that are located at predetermined positions within the gaming area 5a and through which a lottery is held to determine a first special pattern and a second special pattern when a gaming ball B is accepted; and a large winning opening 2005 that can accept gaming balls B depending on the results of the lottery to determine the special pattern when a gaming ball B is accepted into the first starting opening 2003 or second starting opening 2004.

The first starting opening 2003 is located directly above the outlet 1008, below the frame-shaped center device 2500 located in the center of the gaming area 5a. The second starting opening 2004 is located in the attacca unit 2400, and opens and closes to allow the game ball B to pass through the gate 2015, depending on the result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn.

The large prize slot 2005 is located in the attacca unit 2400 attached to the bottom right corner of the gaming area 5a.

The game board 5 also includes a general prize opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B received in the general prize opening 2001, a gate sensor 2016 that detects a game ball B passing through the gate 2015, a first start opening sensor 2101 that detects a game ball B received in the first start opening 2003, a second start opening sensor 2401 that detects a game ball B received in the second start opening 2004, and a special prize opening sensor 2402 that detects a game ball B received in the special prize opening 2005 (see Figure 68).

A game ball B received into the general winning opening 2001 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 behind the game panel 1100 and is then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600 below. A game ball B received into the first starting opening 2003 is detected by the first starting opening sensor 2101 behind the game panel 1100 and is then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600 below. A game ball B received into the second starting opening 2004 is detected by the second starting opening sensor 2401 behind the game panel 1100 and is then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600 below. Game ball B received in the special prize opening 2005 is detected by the special prize opening sensor 2402 behind the game panel 1100, and then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

The main control board 1310 controls the game using game ball B within the play area 5a of the pachinko machine 1. The main control board 1310 is connected via two-way communication to the frame control board 740 provided on the main frame 4, and is connected via one-way output signal only to the peripheral control board 1510.

The main control board 1310 receives detection signals for game ball B from the general prize opening sensor 3001, gate sensor 2016, first start opening sensor 2101, second start opening sensor 2401, special prize opening sensor 2402, etc. The main control board 1310 also outputs drive signals to the start opening solenoid 2412 for opening and closing the second start opening 2004, the attacca solenoid 2414 for opening and closing the special prize opening 2005, etc.

When a game ball B received in the general prize opening 2001 is detected by the general prize opening sensor 3001, the main control board 1310 outputs a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 10). This is no different from conventional pachinko machines, so there is no need to change the software on the main control board 1310. When this prize ball command is received, the frame control board 740 interprets it as a ball count addition signal. Furthermore, when a game ball B received in the first start opening 2003 is detected by the first start opening sensor 2101, a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 1) are output. Furthermore, when a game ball B received in the second start opening 2004 is detected by the second start opening sensor 2401, a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 1) are output. Furthermore, when a game ball B received in the special prize opening 2005 is detected by the special prize opening sensor 2402, a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 10 or 13) are output.

In addition, the main control board 1310 outputs signals such as the results of the regular symbol lottery and the special symbol lottery to the peripheral control board 1510.

The function display unit 1400 uses multiple LEDs based on signals from the main control board 1310 to display the game status (game situation), the results of the regular symbol lottery, the results of the special symbol lottery, 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 passes through gate 2015, and a normal reserve display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserved normal symbols drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2015.

The function display unit 1400 also includes a first special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the drawing for the first special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the first starting port 2003, a first special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving game ball B into the first starting port 2003, a second special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the drawing for the second special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the second starting port 2004, and a second special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving game ball B into the second starting port 2004.

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 large prize opening 2005 is repeated when the lottery result for the special pattern (first special pattern or 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.

The peripheral control board 1510 is attached to the rear of the performance display device 1600. Based on signals sent from the main control board 1310, the peripheral control board 1510 causes the performance display device 1600 to display performance images and perform light-emitting and moving performances.

[6. Flow of the Game Ball]
Next, the flow of game balls B in the pachinko machine 1 will be explained mainly with reference to Figures 66 and 67. Figure 66 is an explanatory diagram showing various paths for game balls on the rear side of the main body frame from the rear. Figure 67 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in the main body frame.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the player is not operating the handle 160, as shown in FIG. 67, a large number (e.g., 40 to 60) of circulating game balls B are stored in a portion of the main body frame 4 below the game board 5. The circulation path R for game balls B in the main body frame 4 is provided with, in order from upstream, a foul unit 570, a circulating ball path unit 600, a ball lifting unit 650, a ball sending unit 700, and a ball launching unit 550. The circulation path R is made up of an out ball passage 601, a safe ball passage 602, a foul ball passage 603, a ball serpentine passage 604, a ball lifting inlet passage 651, a ball lifting outlet passage 652, etc.

The multiple sensors for detecting game balls B circulating along the circulation path R are arranged in the following order from upstream: safe ball sensor 606, out ball sensor 605, foul ball sensor 607, circulating ball excess sensor 622, circulating ball shortage sensor 621, lift-up inlet sensor 653, lift-up outlet sensor 654, pre-launch sensor 704, and launch subtraction sensor 554. Based on signals from these various sensors, the frame control board 740 executes various control processes, which will be described later.

When the player is not operating the handle 160, the safe ball sensor 606, out ball sensor 605, foul ball sensor 607, and excess circulating ball sensor 622 are in an OFF (non-detecting) state, while the insufficient circulating ball sensor 621, lift inlet sensor 653, lift outlet sensor 654, pre-launch sensor 704, and launch subtraction sensor 554 are in an ON (detecting) state.

A large number of game balls B are stored in a line within the circulation path R in the main frame 4. The leading end of the line of game balls B is located on the ball launch pad 552b of the launch unit cover 552 in the ball launch unit 550, and the trailing end is located upstream of the ball removal shutter 615 within the gauge section 620 in the ball serpentine passage 604 of the circulation ball path unit 600.

In the circulation path R, in the section between the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 in the ball lifting unit 650 and the lifting outlet sensor 654, a specific number of game balls B (e.g., four) that is less than the predetermined number (e.g., five) of game balls B are lined up along the length of the line. This is to ensure that even if one game ball B is lifted when the lifting spiral shaft 661 is returned to its origin, there is enough space to receive the lifted game ball B.

In addition, a predetermined number (e.g., 10) of sensors are lined up in the circulation path R between the pre-launch sensor 704 and the lift-up exit sensor 654. This prevents the game balls B from running out of launching balls B until they are lifted up and replenished by the rotation of the lift-up spiral shaft 661, even if the game balls B continue to be launched in the ball launching unit 550 after the detection of the game balls B in the lift-up exit sensor 654 turns OFF (non-detection).

When the player operates the handle 160 to activate the launch solenoid 553 of the ball launch unit 550, the game ball B placed on the ball launch pad 552b in the launch unit cover 552 is launched, and the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects the game ball B as not detected (OFF). This subtracts one ball from the player's possession (the ball possession subtraction process described below). After that, the ball delivery solenoid 706 of the ball delivery unit 700 is energized for a predetermined period of time, causing the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball delivery movable member 705 to move up and down, placing one game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b, and the launch subtraction sensor 554 entering a detection (ON) state.

As the player operates the handle 160 to launch game balls B one by one, the number of game balls B stored between the pre-launch sensor 704 and the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 (ball lifting outlet passage 652) decreases by one, and eventually the lifting outlet sensor 654 detects no game balls B (OFF). Then, when a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., three) have been launched after the lifting outlet sensor 654 becomes non-detecting, the lifting motor 664 of the ball lifting unit 650 begins to rotate the lifting spiral shaft 661, which rotates three times to supply three game balls B to the ball lifting outlet passage 652 before stopping (lifting motor operation processing, described below).

When the lifting motor 664 rotates the lifting spiral shaft 661, the game ball B located at the downstream end of the ball lifting entrance passage 651 moves upward toward the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661. This causes the many game balls B lined up in the ball lifting entrance passage 651 and the ball serpentine passage 604 to flow downstream, reducing the number of game balls B stored in the ball serpentine passage 604.

A game ball B launched from the ball launch unit 550 and struck into the game area 5a of the game board 5 is received by either the outlet 1008 or one of the winning ports (general winning port 2001, first starting port 2003, second starting port 2004, large winning port 2005). A game ball B received at the outlet 1008 of the game board 5 is ejected downward from the game board 5 and handed over to the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600. The game ball B handed over to the out ball receiving port 600a passes through the out ball passage 601, where it is detected by the out ball sensor 605 and sent to the ball serpentine path 604.

Meanwhile, game ball B received in the winning opening of game board 5 is ejected downward from game board 5 and handed over to safe ball receiving port 600b of circulating ball path unit 600. Game ball B handed over to safe ball receiving port 600b passes through safe ball path 602, where it is detected by safe ball sensor 606 and sent to ball serpentine path 604.

When game ball B is detected by out ball sensor 605, the number of out balls is counted, and when game ball B is detected by safe ball sensor 606, the number of safe balls is counted. This makes it possible to calculate the accurate payout rate for game ball B. The calculated payout rate is displayed on a display unit (not shown) provided on main control board 1310. This payout 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 balls added due to winning within a specified period - number of safe balls within a specified period) ÷ number of out balls within a specified period = payout rate within a specified period."

Game ball B that was launched from ball launch unit 550 (ball launch pad 552b) but did not land in game area 5a of game board 5 is collected as a foul ball by foul unit 570 and then handed over to foul ball receiving port 600c of circulating ball path unit 600. Game ball B handed over to foul ball receiving port 600c then flows through foul ball path 603, where it is detected by foul ball sensor 607 and sent to ball serpentine path 604. When game ball B is detected by foul ball sensor 607, one ball is added to the player's possession (ball addition process described below).

In this way, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game ball B is sealed inside without being discharged to the outside or supplied from the outside, and circulates internally, so the player does not come into contact with the game ball B.

[7. Various control processes]
Next, various control processes in the frame control board 740 in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 68 to 86, etc. Figure 68 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a pachinko machine, and Figure 69 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a pachinko machine of a second embodiment. Figure 70 is a flowchart showing the launch permission process. Figure 71 is a flowchart showing the retained ball subtraction process, and Figure 72 is a flowchart showing the retained ball subtraction process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment. Figure 73 is a flowchart showing the retained ball addition process using foul balls. Figure 74 is a flowchart showing the launch control process, and Figure 75 is a flowchart showing the launch control process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment. Figure 76 is a time chart showing the operation of the launch solenoid and ball delivery solenoid in the launch sequence, and Figure 77 is a time chart showing the operation of the launch solenoid and foul shutter drive solenoid in the forced launch sequence of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment. Figure 78(a) is a flowchart showing a launch control process different from that of Figure 74, and (b) is a flowchart showing the balls remaining subtraction process in the case of the launch control process of (a).

Figure 79 is a flowchart showing the prize ball processing. Figure 80 is a flowchart showing the lift motor operation processing, Figure 81 is a table showing the relationship between the lift inlet sensor and lift outlet sensor and the operation of the lift motor, and Figure 82 is a graph showing the relationship between the launching operation of the game ball and the operation of the ball lift unit. Figure 83 is a graph showing the operation of the ball lift mechanism in the ball lift unit. Figure 84(a) is a flowchart showing the security processing, and (b) is a flowchart showing the security processing of an embodiment different from (a). Figure 85 is a table showing the relationship between the low circulating ball sensor and the high circulating ball sensor and the error notification. And Figure 86 is a flowchart showing the settlement processing of a pachinko machine of the second embodiment. Note that Figures 68 and 69 omit some of the electronic components such as sensors, solenoids, motors, LEDs, etc. connected to the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, etc.

As shown in Figures 68 and 69, the main control configuration of the pachinko machine 1 consists of a frame control board 740 attached to the main frame 4, and a main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5. The frame control board 740 mainly controls the launch and circulation of game balls B, the number of balls in hand, etc. The main control board 1310 mainly controls the game. The peripheral control board 1510 mainly controls the presentation.

Signals are input to the frame control board 740 from the launch stop switch 161, handle touch sensor 162, handle rotation sensor 163, counting button switch 180, door open switch 507, frame open switch 508, launch subtraction sensor 554, out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, insufficient circulating ball sensor 621, excessive circulating ball sensor 622, lift inlet sensor 653, lift outlet sensor 654, lift motor index sensor 666, pre-launch sensor 704, RAM clear switch 741, ball removal switch 742, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, etc.

The frame control board 740 also outputs signals to the ball count display unit 140, launch solenoid 553, lift motor 664, ball motor 688, ball delivery solenoid 706, etc.

Furthermore, the frame control board 740 receives signals from the game ball etc. lending device 8 via the game ball etc. lending device connection terminal board 765, and outputs signals. The frame control board 740 also receives signals from the main control board 1310, and outputs signals.

Signals from the general prize opening sensor 3001, gate sensor 2016, first start opening sensor 2101, second start opening sensor 2401, large prize opening sensor 2402, etc. are input to the main control board 1310. The main control board 1310 also outputs signals to the start opening solenoid 2412, attacca solenoid 2414, peripheral control board 1510, etc.

The gaming ball etc. lending device 8 is installed outside the pachinko machine 1 and outputs signals to the management server 9 via a communications network. Signals are input to the gaming ball etc. lending device 8 from the ball lending button switch 8a, the return button switch, the frame control board 740, etc. The gaming ball etc. lending device 8 also outputs signals to the display unit, the frame control board 740, etc.

[7-1. Launch permission processing]
The launch permission process will be described with reference to Figure 70. The launch permission process is a process for determining whether or not the game ball B should be launched. When the launch permission process is started, first in step S101, it is confirmed whether or not the player is touching the handle 160, and if the player is touching the handle 160 and the handle touch sensor 162 is ON (YES), the process proceeds to the next step S102. If the handle touch sensor 162 is OFF in step S101 (NO), the process proceeds to step S107, the frame control launch permission flag is turned OFF, and the process ends.

In step S102, it is checked whether the firing stop switch 161 is OFF. If the firing stop switch 161 is OFF, the process proceeds to the next step S103 as a YES result. On the other hand, if the firing stop switch 161 is OFF in step S102, the process proceeds to step S107 as a NO result, the frame control firing permission flag is turned OFF, and processing ends.

In step S103, it is confirmed whether the frame control board 740 is connected to the game ball etc. lending device 8 via the game ball etc. lending device connection terminal board 765, and if it is connected to the game ball etc. lending device 8, a YES result is obtained and the process proceeds to the next step S104. On the other hand, if a connection to the game ball etc. lending device 8 is not confirmed in step S103, a NO result is obtained and the process proceeds to step S107, where the frame control launch permission flag is turned OFF and the process ends.

In step S104, the presence or absence of main control launch permission (ON/OFF) from the main control board 1310 is confirmed, and if main control launch permission is present, a YES result is obtained and the process proceeds to the next step S105. On the other hand, if main control launch permission is not present in step S104, a NO result is obtained and the process proceeds to step S107, where the frame control launch permission flag is set to OFF and the process ends.

Here, the conditions for the main control launch permission to be turned ON include "no fatal errors such as RAM errors have occurred on the main control board 1310," "no fraudulent activity has been detected by magnetic sensors, radio wave sensors, vibration sensors, etc.", and "the game is not otherwise stopped."

In addition to the conditions of steps S101 to S105 above, the conditions under which the frame control launch permission flag will be turned ON include "no fatal errors, such as a RAM error, have occurred in the frame control board 740," "no fraudulent activity has been detected by magnetic sensors, radio wave sensors, vibration sensors, etc.", "no abnormalities have occurred in the circulation path R," "no detection has been made of the circulating ball shortage sensor 621, the circulating ball excess sensor 622, or the launch front sensor 704 not turning ON," and "communication with the game ball etc. lending device 8 is normal." Conditions other than those of steps S101 to S105 are processed normally.

In step S105, it is checked whether the player has more than 0 balls. If the number of balls is more than 0, a YES answer is given and the process proceeds to the next step S106, where the frame control firing permission flag is turned ON and the process ends. On the other hand, if the number of balls is less than 0 (0 balls) in step S105, a NO answer is given and the process proceeds to step S107, where the frame control firing permission flag is turned OFF and the process ends.

In this way, the launch permission process allows the launch of game ball B, and when the player rotates the handle 160 in this state, the launch solenoid 553 is driven with a strength corresponding to the angle of rotation, causing game ball B to be launched from the ball launch unit 550. When the launch solenoid 553 is driven, the launch control process described below is executed.

[7-2. Ball deduction processing]
The ball subtraction process will be described with reference to Figure 71. The ball subtraction process is a process for subtracting the number of balls a player has by launching game ball B. The ball subtraction process begins in step S111 by determining whether the launch subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launching unit 550 has changed from an ON state to an OFF state. When game ball B is placed on the ball launching pad 552b of the ball launching unit 550, the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects game ball B and is in an ON state. From this state, when the launch solenoid 553 is driven and the launch hammer 555 strikes game ball B on the ball launching pad 552b, launching game ball B, the launch subtraction sensor 554 becomes non-detecting and is in an OFF state.

Then, in step S111, when game ball B is launched and the launch subtraction sensor 554 changes from ON to OFF, the process proceeds to the next step S112 as YES, the number of balls held is subtracted by one, and the process ends.

On the other hand, in step S111, if the shot subtraction sensor 554 does not change from ON to OFF and remains ON, the result is NO, and the processing ends without subtracting the number of balls held.

In this way, when game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550 through the ball subtraction process, the number of balls the player has will be reduced by one.

Note that, for example, it is possible to consider a specification in which, although irregular, the number of shots is greater than 1, or if the number of balls held is less than the subtraction number (number of shots), the subtraction is not performed as an irregular event. However, if fraudulent activity occurs in which the number of shots is inflated by intermittently irradiating the shot subtraction sensor 554 with powerful radio waves and splitting the signal, the subtraction will not occur, allowing unlimited shots to be fired as long as the radio waves continue to be emitted. For this reason, in this embodiment, subtraction is always performed, and if the number of balls held becomes a negative value as a result, "0" is set as the number of balls held. As a result, step S105 in FIG. 70 returns NO, and the frame control shot permission signal is turned OFF in step S107, so the next game ball B is not shot. With this configuration, it is possible to negate fraudulent activity in which the number of shots is inflated by intermittently irradiating the shot subtraction sensor 554 with powerful radio waves and splitting the signal.

[7-2a. Ball Retention Subtraction Process of Pachinko Machine in Second Embodiment]
The retained ball subtraction process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 72. The retained ball subtraction process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment is a process unique to the pachinko machine of the second embodiment, which has a combination of the ball launching unit 550A of the second embodiment described in [4-2a. Ball launching unit of the second embodiment] and the ball sending unit of the second embodiment described in [4-6a. Ball sending unit of the second embodiment].

In the second embodiment of the pachinko machine, the ball launching unit 550A does not have a launch subtraction sensor 554, and instead subtraction is performed using the detection signal from the ball delivery port sensor 711 provided in the ball delivery unit.

The ball subtraction process will be explained with reference to Figure 72. The ball subtraction process subtracts the number of balls the player is holding, assuming that game ball B was launched when it was sent into ball launch pad 552b (launch rail). The ball subtraction process first determines in step S110 whether game ball B has passed through ball outlet sensor 711. When making this determination, game ball B is detected using a game ball B detection method used for winning slots, etc.

In other words, the output from the ball outlet sensor 711 is checked at a predetermined interrupt period (for example, every 4 ms), and if the output is non-detection, detection, detection (in other words, "011"), it is determined that the passage of game ball B has been detected (ON).

When it is determined that game ball B has passed through the ball outlet sensor 711, since game ball B is placed on ball launch pad 552b of ball launch unit 550A, it is assumed that game ball B has been launched, and the process proceeds to the next step S112 as YES, where the number of balls held is reduced by one, and processing ends.

On the other hand, if it is not determined in step S110 that game ball B has passed through the ball outlet sensor 711, the result is NO and the processing ends without subtracting the number of balls held.

[7-3. Ball addition processing]
The ball count addition process for foul balls will be described with reference to Figure 73. When a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the number of balls the player has is subtracted by the ball count subtraction process. However, if the launched game ball B is not shot into the play area 5a of the game board 5, the game will not be played with that game ball B, and leaving the number of balls subtracted will reduce the player's interest. Therefore, the ball count addition process adds game balls B (foul balls) that are not shot into the play area 5a to the number of balls the player has. The value added is a value equivalent to the number of balls detected as foul balls.

In step S121, the ball count process determines whether the foul ball sensor 607 of the circulating ball path unit 600 has detected the passage of game ball B (foul ball). If the foul ball sensor 607 detects the passage, it determines YES and proceeds to the next step S122, in which the number of balls held is increased by one, and the process ends. Note that when determining that game ball B has passed, the foul ball sensor 607 also detects game ball B using the game ball B detection method used at prize slots, etc.

In other words, the output from the foul ball sensor 607 is checked at a predetermined interrupt period (for example, every 4 ms), and if the output is non-detected, detected, detected (in other words, "011"), it is determined that the passage of game ball B has been detected (ON).

On the other hand, if the foul ball sensor 607 does not turn ON and remains OFF in step S121, the answer is NO and the process ends without adding to the number of balls held.

In this way, the ball count addition process prevents the player from being put at a disadvantage by adding foul balls to the number of balls in hand if game ball B is not hit into the game area 5a of the game board 5 despite being launched from the ball launching unit 550.

[7-4. Launch control processing]
The launch control process will be described with reference to Figures 74 and 76, etc. The launch control process determines whether or not to actually launch the game ball B by driving the launch solenoid 553 after the player rotates the handle 160 after the frame control launch permission flag is turned ON in the launch permission process. The launch control process first determines whether the frame control launch permission flag is ON/OFF in step S131, and if the frame control launch permission flag is ON, the process proceeds to the next step S132 as YES, turns the launch permission signal ON, and ends the process. On the other hand, if the frame control launch permission flag is OFF in step S131, the process proceeds to step S133, turns the launch permission signal OFF, and ends the process.

When the launch permission signal is turned ON, when the game ball B is launched by the launch solenoid 553, as shown in FIG. 76, the ball delivery solenoid 706 is first turned ON for a first time t1 (e.g., 150 ms), causing the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball delivery movable member 705 to move upward to receive the game ball B detected by the pre-launch sensor 704. This first time t1 is set to a time sufficient for the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball delivery movable member 705 to receive the game ball B.

When a second time t2 (e.g., 90 ms) shorter than the first time t1 has elapsed since the ball delivery solenoid 706 was turned ON, the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON for a third time t3 (e.g., 23 ms) to launch the game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b. Then, when the third time t3 has elapsed, the launch solenoid 553 is turned OFF. Note that the first time t1 is longer than the sum of the second time t2 and the third time t3.

Then, after the first time t1 has elapsed, the ball sending solenoid 706 turns OFF, and the game ball B received by the ball receiving portion 705a is supplied to the ball launcher 552b. This completes the series of operations in the launch sequence.

If game balls B are continuously launched, after the first time t1 has elapsed, and then after a fourth time t4 (e.g., 450.5 ms) has elapsed, the ball delivery solenoid 706 will again turn ON for the first time t1, and the same operation as above will be repeated.

Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the first time the pachinko machine 1 is installed, there is no game ball B placed on the ball launching pad 552b, so in step S132 of the launch control process, the "Launch subtraction sensor ON?" is NO, and then in step S136, the ball sending solenoid 706 is turned ON, supplying game ball B to the ball launching pad 552b. After that, because there is always a game ball B placed on the ball launching pad 552b, game ball B can be launched at any time.

On the other hand, if game ball B falls from ball launch pad 552b due to a thud or vibration, etc., the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF, so it is considered to have been launched and the number of balls in possession is subtracted by one through the ball subtraction process. However, since the dropped game ball B is collected by the foul unit 570 and detected by the foul ball sensor 607, the number of balls in possession is added by one through the ball addition process, restoring the number of balls in possession to the number before the ball fell, so the player is not at a disadvantage.

Furthermore, when a game ball B launched from ball launch pad 552b returns to ball launch pad 552b, as described above, the next game ball B is supplied by ball sending solenoid 706 of ball sending unit 700 after launch, and since ball launch pad 552b can only hold one game ball B, either the game ball B that returned or the next game ball B supplied from ball sending unit 700 will fall and be collected by foul unit 570. Therefore, as described above, even if the number of balls held is reduced by the launch, either the returning game ball B or the next game ball B will become a foul ball and be added to the number of balls held, so the number of balls held before the launch can be restored and the player will not be at a disadvantage.

If the number of balls held is "0" and game ball B falls from ball launcher 552b, the number of balls held cannot be subtracted in the ball subtraction process, so the dropped game ball B is treated as a foul ball and the number of balls held becomes "1" in the ball addition process. In such a case, an alarm may be sounded and the game hall staff may resolve the discrepancy in the number of balls held.

In this embodiment, if there is a jolt or other shaking that causes the launch subtraction sensor 554 to turn OFF, the ball launch pad 552b is short, so the game ball B will always fall. Therefore, there is no false detection that would occur if the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF and the game ball is deemed to have been launched, even though the game ball B is placed on the ball launch pad 552b.

However, it is possible that a power outage will occur (the frame control board 740 or main control board 1310 will receive a power outage signal) during the above-described firing sequence. For example, if a power outage occurs before the firing solenoid 553 is turned ON (before it is energized), the firing hammer 555 will not move. However, depending on the operation timing of the ball delivery solenoid 706, if the next game ball B is received in the ball receiving section 705a, that game ball B will be supplied to the ball launch pad 552b, where it will be bounced off the previously placed game ball B and collected by the foul unit 570. However, when a power outage signal is received, the frame control board 740 and other components will not check the various sensors and will ignore the signal from the foul ball sensor 607. As a result, the foul ball will not be added to the number of balls held, maintaining the accuracy of the number of balls held before the power outage.

Furthermore, if a power outage occurs while launch solenoid 553 is energized or has already been energized, launch hammer 555 moves and game ball B from ball launch pad 552b is launched, but it is not considered to have been launched because frame control board 740 stops checking launch subtraction sensor 554 before launch subtraction sensor 554 is determined to be OFF (before the OFF threshold of 80 ms has elapsed). When launch solenoid 553 is energized, game ball B is already received in ball receiving section 705a by ball sending solenoid 706. Therefore, after game ball B is launched, game ball B received in ball receiving section 705a is supplied to ball launch pad 552b, returning it to its pre-launch state. On the other hand, even if launched game ball B enters the winning slot of game board 5, the main control board 1310 does not check the winning sensor, so the winning is invalid and the number of balls held is not incremented. Therefore, even in this case, the number of balls held before the power outage will remain accurate.

[7-4a. Launch control process and ball deduction process of the second embodiment]
In the above embodiment, the consistency of the number of balls held when the game ball B drops from the ball launcher 552b is maintained by a hardware launch sequence, but as shown in Figure 78, the consistency may also be maintained by software. In this launch control process, first, in step S131, it is determined whether the frame control launch permission flag is ON/OFF, and if the frame control launch permission flag is ON, the process proceeds to the next step S134 as YES. On the other hand, in step S131, if the frame control launch permission flag is OFF, the process ends as NO without driving the launch solenoid 553.

In step S134, it is determined whether the launch subtraction sensor 554 is ON. If the launch subtraction sensor 554 is ON (there is game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b), the process proceeds to the next step S135 as YES and determines whether the subtraction completion flag is ON. As shown in FIG. 78(b), if the number of held balls has been subtracted by the held ball subtraction process of the second embodiment, the subtraction completion flag is set ON in step S113, and if the number of held balls has not been subtracted, the subtraction completion flag is set OFF in step S114.

Therefore, in the normal pre-launch state, game ball B is placed on ball launch pad 552b and the subtraction completion flag is OFF, so a NO determination is made in step S135, and the process proceeds to the next step S136, where the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON to strike game ball B with a force corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, and processing ends.

On the other hand, if game ball B falls from ball launcher 552b due to a thud or other reason, the number of balls held is subtracted by the ball subtraction process shown in FIG. 78(b), and the subtraction completion flag is set to ON. Therefore, step S135 of the launch control process returns YES, and the process proceeds to step S137.

In step S137, it is determined whether the pre-launch sensor 704 is ON. If the pre-launch sensor 704 is not ON (if game ball B is not detected), the process proceeds to the next step S138 as NO, turns ON the error display indicating "out of balls to be fired," and returns to step S137, repeating this process until the pre-launch sensor 704 is turned ON. The error display is displayed, for example, on the display screen of the performance display device.

The error may be indicated by lighting up a warning lamp, or by displaying an image on an effect display device. Alternatively, an error signal may be output to the hall computer (HOLCON) of the amusement hall via the game ball lending device 8, causing a warning lamp installed in the amusement hall to light up.

In step S137, if the pre-launch sensor 704 detects game ball B and is ON, the process proceeds to the next step S139 as YES, where the ball sending solenoid 706 is turned ON (energized) to move the ball sending movable member 705. As a result, the game ball B detected by the pre-launch sensor 704 is transferred to the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball sending movable member 705, and when the ball sending solenoid 706 turns OFF after a predetermined short time, the game ball B transferred to the ball receiving portion 705a is supplied to the ball launch pad 552b. At this time, if there is a game ball B upstream (ball lifting exit passage 652) of the game ball B sent to the ball launch pad 552b by the ball sending movable member 705, that game ball B will move downstream and the pre-launch sensor 704 will turn ON.

In step S139, once the ball sending solenoid 706 is turned ON, the process proceeds to the next step S140, where it is again determined whether the launch subtraction sensor 554 is ON. If the launch subtraction sensor 554 is not ON, the process returns to step S137 as NO, and the above flow is repeated until the launch subtraction sensor 554 is turned ON.

If the firing subtraction sensor 554 is ON in step S140, the process proceeds to the next step S141 as a YES, turns off the "out of fired balls" error display, and then proceeds to step S136, turns on the firing solenoid 553, strikes the game ball B with a strength corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, and ends the process.

In this way, the launch control process can confirm that game ball B has been placed on ball launch pad 552b in ball launch unit 550, before launching game ball B.

When game ball B falls from ball launcher 552b, the number of balls in hand is subtracted by the ball subtraction process in Figure 78 (b), but the dropped game ball B is collected by foul unit 570 and detected by foul ball sensor 607, which then executes the ball addition process. This adds back the number of balls in hand, restoring the number of balls in hand to what it was before the ball fell, so the player is not at a disadvantage.

In this way, the launch control process and ball subtraction process of the second embodiment also allow the consistency of the number of balls held to be maintained when game ball B falls from ball launch pad 552b.

[7-4b. Firing control process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment]
The firing control process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 75, 76, 77, etc. The retained ball subtraction process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment is a process unique to the pachinko machine of the second embodiment, which has a combination of the ball firing unit 550A of the second embodiment described in [4-2a. Ball firing unit of the second embodiment], the ball sending unit of the second embodiment described in [4-6a. Ball sending unit of the second embodiment], and the foul unit 570 of the third embodiment described in [4-3b. Foul unit of the third embodiment].

The launch control process determines whether or not to actually launch the game ball B by driving the launch solenoid 553 after the player rotates the handle 160 after the frame control launch permission flag is turned ON in the launch permission process (Figure 70). The launch control process (Figure 75) first determines whether the frame control launch permission flag is ON/OFF in step S131, and if the frame control launch permission flag is ON, the process proceeds to the next step S132 as YES, turns the launch permission signal ON, and ends the process. On the other hand, if the frame control launch permission flag is OFF in step S131, the process proceeds to step S133, and turns the launch permission signal OFF.

When the launch permission signal is turned ON, when the game ball B is launched by the launch solenoid 553, as shown in FIG. 76, the ball delivery solenoid 706 is first turned ON for a first time t1 (e.g., 150 ms), causing the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball delivery movable member 705 to move upward to receive the game ball B detected by the pre-launch sensor 704. This first time t1 is set to a time sufficient for the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball delivery movable member 705 to receive the game ball B.

When a second time t2 (e.g., 90 ms) shorter than the first time t1 has elapsed since the ball delivery solenoid 706 was turned ON, the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON for a third time t3 (e.g., 23 ms) to launch the game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b. Then, when the third time t3 has elapsed, the launch solenoid 553 is turned OFF. Note that the first time t1 is longer than the sum of the second time t2 and the third time t3.

Then, after the first time t1 has elapsed, the ball sending solenoid 706 turns OFF, and the game ball B received by the ball receiving section 705a is supplied to the ball launcher 552b. At this time, the game ball B is detected as it passes through the ball sending outlet sensor 711, and the ball holding subtraction process is performed as shown in Figure 72. This completes the series of operations in the launch sequence.

When game balls B are continuously launched, after the first time t1 has elapsed, and then after a fourth time t4 (e.g., 450.5 ms) has elapsed, the ball delivery solenoid 706 again turns ON for the first time t1, and the same operation as above is repeated. The series of launch operations in Figure 76 is controlled by hardware.

Returning to the launch control process (Figure 75), the above description is of the normal launch control process, but in addition to this normal launch control process, there is also a process related to launching, called forced launch control, in which game ball B is launched even if the player is not touching the handle 160, and game ball B does not reach the game board 5. In this forced launch control process, game ball B is forcibly launched without operating the ball sending unit (ball sending device), and game ball B is not left on the launch rail (ball launch pad 552b).

In step S142 of Figure 75, the ON/OFF status of the frame control forced firing flag is determined. If the frame control forced firing flag is ON, a YES result is obtained and the process proceeds to the next step S143, where the forced firing signal is turned ON and processing ends. On the other hand, if the frame control forced firing flag is OFF in step S142, the process proceeds to step S144 and the forced firing signal is turned OFF. The frame control forced firing flag is turned ON in step S152 when the counting button switch is pressed during the settlement process of Figure 86.

When the forced launch signal is turned ON, the launch solenoid 553 forcibly launches game ball B. As shown in FIG. 77, the foul shutter drive solenoid 571d is first turned ON for 600 ms (first time) to close the foul shutter 571. Note that 600 ms corresponds to the launch interval when the pachinko machine 1 continuously launches game ball B.

As a result, regardless of the strength with which game ball B is fired, it is blocked by the closed foul shutter 571 and does not enter the game board 5, becoming a foul ball. Game ball B that has become a foul ball is detected by the foul ball sensor 607 and is added to the number of held balls by the ball counting process of Figure 73.

When a second time t2 (e.g., 90 ms), which is shorter than the first time t1, has elapsed since the foul shutter drive solenoid 571d was turned ON, the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON with a weak excitation voltage for a third time t3 (e.g., 23 ms), weakly launching the game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b. Then, when the third time t3 has elapsed, the launch solenoid 553 is turned OFF. Note that the first time, 600 ms, is longer than the sum of the second time t2 and the third time t3.

Then, after the first time of 600 ms has elapsed, the false shutter drive solenoid 571d turns OFF, and the false shutter 571 opens.

The reason why the launch solenoid 553 is turned on with a weak excitation voltage to weakly launch game ball B on ball launch pad 552b is so that even if it is not blocked by the foul shutter 571, it will not enter the game board 5 and will be considered a foul ball. By closing the foul shutter 571, game ball B becomes a foul ball without having to travel a long distance back and forth along the outer rail 1001, thereby shortening the time it takes to detect a foul ball.

Note that the series of operations shown in Figure 77 for forcibly firing game ball B in response to the forced firing signal is a one-shot operation performed by hardware and is not executed multiple times in succession. Furthermore, game ball B is forcibly fired even if the player is not touching the handle 160.

[7-4c. Settlement process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment]
The settlement process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 86 etc. The settlement process of the pachinko machine of the second embodiment is a process unique to the pachinko machine of the second embodiment, which has a combination of the ball launching unit 550A of the second embodiment described in [4-2a. Ball launching unit of the second embodiment], the ball sending unit of the second embodiment described in [4-6a. Ball sending unit of the second embodiment], and the foul unit 570 of the third embodiment described in [4-3b. Foul unit of the third embodiment].

In the settlement process shown in Figure 86, first, in step 150, it is confirmed whether the count button switch 180 has been pressed. If it has not been pressed, the result is NO and the process ends. If it has been pressed, the count button switch 180 is ON, so the result is YES and control moves to the next step S151.

In step S151, the frame control firing permission flag is turned OFF, and control proceeds to the next step, S152. In step S152, the frame control forced firing flag is turned ON. These steps S151 and S152 stop normal firing by player operation, and force firing without player operation is performed. In response to this flag being turned OFF/ON, the series of operations shown in Figures 75, 76, and 77 described in [7-4b. Firing control processing for pachinko machine of second embodiment] are carried out.

In step S153, it is determined whether the counting button switch 180 has been pressed and held. If it has not been pressed and held, it is assumed that the player wishes to return only one ball from the ball data stored on the gaming machine to the gaming ball lending device 8, and processing proceeds to step S154. Note that returning one ball is used when the player wishes to use it for coffee service, etc. In this case, the player will briefly press the counting button switch 180 multiple times.

In step S154, a one-second wait process is performed. One second is enough time for game ball B, which was forcibly launched as a result of the frame control forced launch flag being turned ON in step S152, to be blocked by the closed foul shutter 571, roll, and be detected by the foul ball sensor 607. When game ball B is detected by the foul ball sensor 607, it is added to the balls in hand according to the flowchart in Figure 73.

In the next step S155, the number of balls held is checked, and if the number of balls held is 0, the answer is YES and processing ends without any further action. If the number of balls held is 0, this means that the settlement process was performed immediately after the launch and that there were no game balls B on the launch rail (ball launch pad 552b).

If step S155 determines that there are balls in the player's possession, the process returns NO and proceeds to step S156, where one ball is subtracted from the number of balls in the player's possession, and that one ball is transferred to the game ball lending device 8, thereby ending the process.

If it is determined in step S153 that the count button switch 180 has been pressed and held, the answer is YES and control is passed to step S157. In step S157, a wait process of 0.5 seconds is performed. This is shorter than the 1 second wait time in step S154 because 0.5 seconds has already been spent in determining whether the count button switch 180 has been pressed and held (0.5 seconds) in step S153.

Once the wait process in step S157 is completed, control moves to the subroutine in step S158, where all of the balls in the player's possession are transferred to the game ball lending device 8. The details of the process for transferring all of the balls in the player's possession will be omitted here.

Note that Figure 86 explains the settlement process for a pachinko machine of the second embodiment, but in other patterns (for example, pachinko machines that combine [4-2. Ball launching unit], [4-6. Ball sending unit], and [4-3. Foul unit] or [4-3a. Second embodiment foul unit]), the ball launching pad 552b (launching rail) has a launch subtraction sensor 554 and performs processes such as subtracting the number of balls in hand according to the actual launch of game ball B. This ensures consistency of the balls in hand without performing processes such as forced launching, and therefore there is no need to turn on the frame control forced launch flag in step S152 of Figure 86.

[7-5. Handling of prize balls]
The prize ball processing will be explained with reference to Fig. 79 etc. In the prize ball processing, when a game ball B is received in a prize opening such as the general prize opening 2001, the first start opening 2003, the second start opening 2004, the big prize opening 2005, etc. provided on the game board 5, a predetermined number of prize balls corresponding to the prize opening are awarded as a special bonus, and the prize balls are added to the number of balls the player has.

In the prize ball processing, when game ball B is received by a prize opening on the game board 5 and a signal (prize ball signal) output from the main control board 1310 is input to the frame control board 740, the input prize ball signal is analyzed in step S141. The prize ball signal output from the main control board 1310 may be the number of prize balls or the type of prize opening into which game ball B was received.

Then, when the prize ball signal is analyzed in step S141, the number of prize balls corresponding to the analyzed prize ball signal is added to the number of balls the player has in their possession in the following step S142, and the process ends.

In this way, the prize ball processing allows the number of game balls B (number of prize balls) corresponding to the winning slot into which game ball B entered on the game board 5 to be added to the number of balls waiting for the player.

[7-6. Lifting motor operation processing]
The lifting motor operation process will be described with reference to Figures 80 to 83. In the lifting motor operation process, when the game balls B in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 decrease as a result of the game balls B being launched by the ball launching unit 550, the game balls B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 are lifted by the rotation of the lifting spiral shaft 661 of the ball lifting unit 650 and supplied to the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

The lifting motor operation process first clears retry counter 1 in step S201 and then proceeds to the next step S202. In step S202, it is determined whether the lifting motor index sensor 666, which detects the lifting motor index 665 attached to the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 in the ball lifting mechanism 660 of the ball lifting unit 650, is ON.

The lifting motor index 665 has a detection section 665a that is cut out in the circumferential direction of a disk (flange-shaped) shape. When the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates and the detection section 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is positioned at the position of the lifting motor index sensor 666, the lifting motor index sensor 666 turns ON, and the lifting motor index sensor 666 turns OFF in areas other than the detection section 665a.

If the lift motor index sensor 666 is ON in step S202, the process proceeds to the next step S203 as a YES and determines whether the lift outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more. If the lift outlet sensor 654 has not been ON for 80 ms or more in step S203 (the lift outlet sensor 654 is OFF), the process proceeds to the next step S204 as a NO.

On the other hand, if step S203 determines that the lift-up outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more, the process returns to step S203 as a YES and is repeated until the lift-up outlet sensor 654 is no longer ON for 80 ms or more (until the lift-up outlet sensor 654 turns OFF). In other words, this is repeated until the rear end of the row of multiple game balls B in the ball lift-up outlet passage 652 decreases due to the launch of game balls B and becomes downstream of the lift-up outlet sensor 654, and when the lift-up outlet sensor 654 turns OFF, the process proceeds to step S204.

In step S204, it is determined whether the lifting inlet sensor 653 has been ON for 80 ms or more. If it is determined that the lifting inlet sensor 653 has not been ON for 80 ms or more (the lifting inlet sensor 653 is OFF), the process proceeds to step S205 as NO, turns ON the error display indicating "bulb out at lifting inlet", and returns to step S204. This notifies the user that a bulb has run out in the bulb lifting inlet passage 651, and prompts the user to resolve the bulb outage.

If it is determined in step S204 that the lifting inlet sensor 653 has been ON for 80 ms or more, the process proceeds to the next step S206 as a YES, and the error display indicating "Lifting inlet out of balls" is turned OFF. After that, in the following step S207, after 1800 ms have elapsed, the lifting motor 664 is started to operate, causing the lifting spiral shaft 661 to rotate. This starts the lifting of the game ball B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651. The lifting spiral shaft 661 ejects one game ball B per rotation.

Here, to put it another way, as shown in Figure 82, when the lifting motor 664 starts to operate, the lifting inlet sensor 653 is ON (continuously ON) for 80 ms or more, the lifting motor 664 is stopped, the lifting outlet sensor 654 is ON (continuously ON) for 80 ms or more, and the launch pre-sensor 704 is ON (continuously ON) for 80 ms or more. By operating the handle 160, game balls B are continuously launched at predetermined time intervals (600 ms in this case). Then, when the lifting outlet sensor 654 turns OFF, after the time ts (1800 ms in this case) has elapsed, the lifting motor 664 begins to operate, and the game balls B begin to be ejected from the top end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 toward the ball lifting outlet passage 652 (lifting device ball ejection).

In this embodiment, once three game balls B have been launched after the lift outlet sensor 654 turns OFF, the lift motor 664 is activated and the lift spiral shaft 661 begins to rotate. Note that the time interval at which game balls B are ejected by the rotation of the lift spiral shaft 661 is set to be shorter than the time interval at which game balls B are continuously launched. This ensures that the supply of game balls B to the ball launch unit 550 will not be unable to keep up with the launch of game balls B.

As shown in Figure 82, the ball polishing motor 688 provided in the ball lifting unit 650 is controlled independently of the operation of the lifting motor 664, and operates so that the polishing cloth 682 moves 0.17 mm every time 1,000 game balls B are fired.

As shown in Figure 81, this lifting motor 664 will not operate and will remain stopped unless the lifting inlet sensor 653 is ON and the lifting outlet sensor 654 is OFF.

Returning to the explanation of the lift motor operation process, when operation of the lift motor 664 is initiated in step S207, retry counter 2 is cleared in the following step S208, and a determination is made in the following step S209 as to whether the lift motor index 665 (lift motor index sensor 666) has turned ON again within 600 ms after turning OFF.

If it is determined in step S209 that the lifting motor index 665 has turned ON again within 600 ms after turning OFF (the lifting spiral shaft 661 is rotating), the process proceeds to the next step S210 as a YES and determines whether the lifting outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more. If it has not been ON, the process returns to step S208 as a NO and the operation of the lifting motor 664 continues.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S210 that the lifting outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more, the process proceeds to the next step S211 as a YES, stops the lifting motor 664 at the third detection position of the detection unit 665a of the lifting motor index 665, and returns to step S201 to repeat the lifting motor operation process.

In other words, as shown in Figures 82 and 83, after the lift outlet sensor 654 turns ON (continuously ON), the lift motor 664 stops the third time the lift motor index 665 rotates and becomes unshaded (the lift motor index sensor 666 turns ON due to the detection unit 665a). At this time, the lift spiral shaft 661, which rotates integrally with the lift motor index 665, ejects one game ball B per rotation toward the ball lift outlet passage 652 (lift device ball ejection). Therefore, three game balls B are ejected between the time the lift outlet sensor 654 turns ON and the time the lift motor 664 stops. In other words, when the lift outlet sensor 654 turns ON, three game balls B are ejected toward the ball lift outlet passage 652, and the lift motor 664 stops. This allows a sufficient number of game balls B to be stored in the ball lift outlet passage 652. Furthermore, to ensure smooth execution of the lifting motor origin return process described below, the ball lifting outlet passage 652 is never filled with game balls B, but rather a predetermined number of balls are left empty.

In this lift motor operation process, if it is determined in step S202 that the lift motor index 665 is not ON (the lift motor index sensor 666 is OFF), the process proceeds to the next step S212 as NO, where it is determined whether the retry counter 1 is less than 3.

If retry counter 1 is less than 3 in step S212, the answer is YES and the lift motor origin return process is executed in the next step S213, after which retry counter 1 is incremented by "1" in step S214 and the process returns to step S202.

In the lift motor origin return process of step S213, if the lift motor index sensor 666 is OFF, the lift motor 664 is activated to rotate the lift motor index 665 together with the lift spiral shaft 661. When the lift motor index sensor 666 is OFF, it turns ON when the detection unit 665a reaches it, after which the lift motor 664 rotates twice and stops, and the lift motor 664 (lift motor index 665) returns to the origin.

More specifically, due to the gear ratio between the shaft gear 662 and the motor gear 663, the lifting motor index 665 (lifting spiral shaft 661) is configured to rotate once for every 32 rotations of the lifting motor 664. The circumferential length of the detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is designed to be long enough for the lifting motor 664 to rotate four times. Therefore, the position at which the lifting motor 664 stops after two rotations after the lifting motor index sensor 666 turns ON is located at the center of the detection portion 665a. In other words, the center of the detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is the origin of the lifting motor 664 (lifting spiral shaft 661, lifting motor index 665) (see Figure 83).

When the lifting motor origin return process is executed, the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates approximately one revolution, causing one game ball B to be ejected into the ball lifting outlet passage 652. However, since the ball lifting outlet passage 652 has a predetermined number of spaces available for accommodating game balls B, the ejection of game balls B from the lifting spiral shaft 661 is not impeded, and the lifting motor 664 can be returned to its origin.

If it is determined in step S212 above that retry counter 1 is not less than 3, the process proceeds to step S215 as NO, the error display indicating "Lifted ball jam error" is turned ON, and operation is stopped in the following step S216. The condition for canceling this operation stop can be released by turning on and off the power switch 751 provided on the power supply board 750 of the main body frame 4.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S209 above that the lifting motor index 665 has not been turned ON again within 600 ms after being turned OFF (the lifting spiral shaft 661 is not rotating), it is set to ON and the process proceeds to step S217, where it is determined whether the retry counter 2 is less than 3. If it is determined that the retry counter 2 is not less than 3, the process proceeds to step S215 as NO, the error display indicating "lifting ball jam error" is turned ON, and operation is stopped in the following step S216.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S217 that retry counter 2 is less than 3, the result is YES and the ball jamming release process is executed in the next step S218, and then in the following step S219, "1" is added to retry counter 2 and the process returns to step S209.

The ball jamming release process in step S218 stops the lift motor 664 without monitoring the ON/OFF status of the lift outlet sensor 654, then rotates the lift motor 664 in reverse, and after a predetermined time (e.g., 100 ms) has elapsed, stops the lift motor 664 and operates it again (forward rotation).

In this way, when the game balls B are launched by the lifting motor operation process, decreasing the number of game balls B in the ball lifting outlet passage 652, the lifting motor 664 is operated to rotate the lifting spiral shaft 661, lifting the game balls B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 from the lower end and ejecting them from the upper end to supply them to the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

Note that the operating time of the lifting motor 664 and the number of game balls B ejected described above are merely examples, and any appropriate time or number may be used.

[7-7. Security Processing]
The security process will be explained with reference to Figure 84 etc. The purpose of the security process is to monitor for any illegal activity. As shown in Figure 84(a), the security process clears the contradiction counter in step S301, and then calculates the number of balls retrieved within a predetermined time in the circulating ball path unit 600 in step S302. The number of retrieved balls is calculated as the sum of the number of out balls, the number of safe balls and the number of foul balls.

Once the number of recovered balls is calculated in step S302, the process proceeds to the next step S303, where it is determined whether the number of fired balls measured by the firing subtraction sensor 554 is the same as the number of recovered balls. If it is determined that they are the same, it returns to step S302 as a YES result. On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of fired balls is not the same as the number of recovered balls, it proceeds to the next step S304 as a NO result, it adds "1" to the discrepancy counter, and it proceeds to the next step S305.

In step S305, it is determined whether the contradiction counter is greater than n (for example, 50), and if it is determined that it is less than n, a NO result is obtained and the process returns to step S302. On the other hand, if it is determined that the contradiction counter is greater than n, a YES result is obtained and the process proceeds to the next step S306, where an error display indicating that fraud is occurring is turned ON, and then the game stop process is executed in the following step S307, ending the process.

The error display in step S306 can be cleared by turning the power switch 751 on and off on the power supply board 750 in the main body frame 4.

In addition, the game stop processing in step S307 includes stopping the launch of game ball B by the ball launching unit 550, stopping the lifting of game ball B by the ball lifting unit 650 (stopping circulation), stopping game play on the main control board 1310 side, etc.

Security processing may be as shown in Figure 84(b). In this security processing, first, in step S311, the contradiction counter is cleared, and then in the following step S312, it is determined whether the number of shot balls detected by the shot subtraction sensor 554 is equal to or greater than the number of foul balls detected by the foul ball sensor 607.

If it is determined in step S312 that the number of balls fired is equal to or greater than the number of foul balls, a YES result is obtained and the process returns to step S312. On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of balls fired is not equal to or greater than the number of foul balls, a NO result is obtained and the process proceeds to the next step S313, where "1" is added to the contradiction counter and the process proceeds to the following step S314.

In step S314, it is determined whether the contradiction counter is greater than n (for example, 50), and if it is determined that it is less than n, the process returns to step S312 as NO. On the other hand, if it is determined that the contradiction counter is greater than n, the process proceeds to the next step S315 as YES, and an error display indicating that fraud is occurring is turned ON, and then in the following step S316, the game stop process is executed and the process ends.

The error display in step S315 can be cleared by turning the power switch 751 on and off on the power supply board 750 in the main body frame 4.

In addition, the game stop processing in step S316 includes stopping the launch of game ball B by the ball launching unit 550, stopping the lifting of game ball B by the ball lifting unit 650 (stopping circulation), stopping game play on the main control board 1310 side, etc.

In this way, it is possible to determine whether or not there has been any cheating based on the number of balls fired, the number of game balls B ejected from the game board 5 (number of recovered balls), the number of foul balls, etc.

[7-8. Enclosed ball amount detection process]
The enclosed ball quantity detection process will be explained with reference to Figure 85 etc. The enclosed ball quantity detection process detects whether the quantity (number of balls) of enclosed game balls B is appropriate. The enclosed ball quantity detection process determines whether the quantity of game balls B is appropriate by combining the ON/OFF of the insufficient circulating ball sensor 621 and the ON/OFF of the excess circulating ball sensor 622. The insufficient circulating ball sensor 621 and the excess circulating ball sensor 622 are ON when the detection of game balls B continues for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more.

Specifically, in the ball serpentine passage 604 of the circulating ball path unit 600, which is upstream of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 in the ball lifting unit 650, if the rearmost end of a line of game balls B is located between the under-circulating ball sensor 621 and the over-circulating ball sensor 622, the under-circulating ball sensor 621 will be ON and the over-circulating ball sensor 622 will be OFF. In such a combination, the amount of game balls B is determined to be appropriate, and no related errors will be reported.

On the other hand, if the rearmost part of the game balls B lined up in a row in the ball serpentine path 604 is located downstream of the circulating ball shortage sensor 621, the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 will be OFF and the circulating ball excess sensor 622 will be OFF. In such a combination, it is determined that the amount of game balls B is insufficient, and an error message will be displayed indicating that there are "insufficient game balls."

Furthermore, if the rearmost part of the game balls B lined up in a row in the ball serpentine path 604 is located upstream of the under-circulating ball sensor 621 and the over-circulating ball sensor 622, the under-circulating ball sensor 621 will be ON and the over-circulating ball sensor 622 will be ON. In such a combination, it is determined that there are too many game balls B, and an error message will be displayed indicating that there are "too many game balls."

Depending on the environment (amusement hall) in which the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment is installed, it may be installed alongside pachinko machines that use conventional iron balls SB as game balls. When the game balls B are replenished or replaced during maintenance of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, there is a risk that iron balls SB may become mixed in. Furthermore, if an iron ball SB becomes mixed in with this pachinko machine 1, because a powerful magnet 616 is provided in the ball removal shutter 615 of the ball serpentine passage 604 on the circulation route R, the mixed iron ball B will be attracted by the magnet 616 and will come to a standstill on the ball removal shutter 615.

When the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the ball ejection shutter 615 and the ball launching unit 550 continues to launch game balls B, the game balls B downstream of the ball ejection shutter 615 in the ball serpentine path 604 are lifted by the ball lifting unit 650 and decrease in number, eventually turning OFF the low circulating ball sensor 621. Meanwhile, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 are collected by the out ball receiving port 600a, safe ball receiving port 600b, foul unit 570, etc. of the circulating ball path unit 600 and supplied to the upstream side of the ball serpentine path 604, where they accumulate upstream of the ball ejection shutter 615 (iron ball SB), eventually turning ON the excess circulating ball sensor 622. In this way, when the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 is OFF and the circulating ball excess sensor 622 is ON, it is determined that an iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the ball removal shutter 615, and an error message is displayed indicating that an "iron ball has been mixed in."

If a ball jam occurs between the low circulating ball sensor 621 and the high circulating ball sensor 622, the same combination as above will occur, and an error message will be displayed indicating that an "iron ball has been mixed in."

Errors can also be reported by lighting up a warning lamp, or by displaying an image on an effect display device. Alternatively, an error signal can be output to the amusement hall's hall computer (HOLCON) via the game ball and other dispensing device 8, causing a warning lamp installed in the amusement hall to light up.

In this way, the enclosed ball quantity detection process makes it possible to appropriately manage the quantity of enclosed game balls B and detect the presence of iron balls SB.

[7-9. Ball removal processing]
The ball removal process will be explained. The ball removal process is performed in the circulating ball path unit 600 when the ball removal shutter 615 opens the ball removal opening 613p and removes the game ball B into the ball receiving tray 720. The ball removal process is performed by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main body frame 4, turning off the door open switch 507, pulling the ball removal shutter 615 toward you to open the ball removal opening 613p, and turning on the power with the ball removal switch 742 provided on the frame control board 740 turned on (by turning on the ball removal switch 742 when the power is turned on).

During the ball removal process, the ON/OFF of the lifting inlet sensor 653 is disabled, the launch solenoid 553 in the ball launching unit 550 repeatedly turns ON/OFF at predetermined time intervals, and the lifting motor 664 remains operating.

At this time, even if the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON and game ball B is launched, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position because the door frame 3 is open, and the ball is sent to the circulation ball path unit 600 as a foul ball without being shot out from the foul unit 570. During the ball removal process, the launch of game ball B is not stopped, but game play is stopped. For example, even if a start win occurs, game balls are not paid out, and no lottery or variable display for special symbols is performed, making it impossible to play normal games. During the ball removal process, special notifications are issued using the performance display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc. Furthermore, if the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, RAM clearing, which initializes the RAM built into the main control board 1310, is not executed, and game information such as the game status at the time of power interruption is maintained.

In this way, the enclosed game ball B can be removed by the ball removal process. When inserting a game ball B, it is possible to insert it through the outlet 1008 of the game board 5, or to remove the game board 5 from the main frame 4 and insert (refill) it through the out ball receiving port 600a or safe ball receiving port 600b, which open upward.

[7-10. Other]
In the above embodiment, the pachinko machine 1 has been described on the assumption that a stainless steel ball made of stainless steel is used as the game ball B, but this is not limited thereto. As in the past, an iron ball SB may be used as the game ball B. When an iron ball is used as the game ball B, the magnet 616 in the circulating ball path unit 600 is eliminated to allow the game ball B (iron ball SB) to flow through the ball serpentine path 604, and the game ball B passage sensors (ball sensors) dedicated to stainless steel balls, provided on both the main frame 4 and the game board 5, are replaced with ones capable of detecting the iron ball SB. These changes enable the pachinko machine 1 to operate. The optical ball sensor can be used as is without replacement.

When using an iron ball SB as the game ball B, it becomes possible to commit fraud using a magnet M (so-called magnetic cheating), so a conventional magnetic sensor (magnetic sensor 1030)/radio wave sensor is required on the game board 5 side to detect fraud. Furthermore, since there is also the possibility of fraud being committed against the circulation path of the game ball B on the main frame 4 side, a magnetic sensor (magnetic sensor 1030) is required to cover the area around the circulation path, and in particular the area around the sensors involved in adding/subtracting the number of balls held by the player (launch subtraction sensor 554, foul ball sensor 607, launch front sensor 704, etc.).

The following explanation will refer to Figure 87 and other figures. Figure 87(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that can detect magnetic field lines from a magnet, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that cannot detect magnetic field lines from a magnet, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic perspective view of the detection range of a magnetic sensor on a game board, (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor and a magnetic body that makes it unable to detect magnetic field lines from a magnet, (e) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor and a magnetic body that makes it possible to detect magnetic field lines from a magnet, and (f) is an explanatory diagram showing the magnetic sensor and the holder separated.

When using a game ball B, which is an iron ball SB, conventional countermeasures against fraud against the game board 5 are sufficient, but in a pachinko machine 1 (game machine) that has a circulation path R in the main body frame 4 (game machine frame) as in this embodiment, countermeasures against fraud against this circulation path R are necessary.

Generally, multiple magnetic sensors 1030 are provided in a pachinko machine 1 to detect illicit magnetism (magnetic lines of force). As shown in Figure 87 (f), the magnetic sensor 1030 comprises a sensor main body 1031 for detecting magnetism, a white sensor board 1032 on which the sensor main body 1031 is mounted, and a transparent sensor case 1033 that covers the sensor board 1032 and the sensor main body 1031. Although not shown, in addition to the sensor main body 1031, the sensor board 1032 also mounts ICs, transistors, resistors, diodes, connectors, etc. In this embodiment, a magnetic sensor using a GMR element is used for the sensor main body 1031.

The magnetic sensor 1030 is rectangular in plan view and is formed as a rectangular parallelepiped with a height shorter than the length of the short side of the rectangle, with one of the height sides chamfered. The magnetic sensor 1030's internal sensor body 1031 and sensor board 1032 can be seen from the outside through the transparent sensor case 1033.

The magnetic sensor 1030 can detect the passage of magnetic field lines parallel to the longest side of the rectangular parallelepiped. Therefore, when the orientation of the magnetic sensor 1030 and the positional relationship with the magnet M are as shown in Figure 87(a), the magnetic field lines of the magnet M pass in a direction parallel to the long side, and the magnetism (magnetic field lines) of the magnet M can be detected.

On the other hand, when the orientation of the magnetic sensor 1030 and the positional relationship with the magnet M are as shown in Figure 87 (b), the magnetic field lines of the magnet M pass perpendicular to the long side (perpendicular to the surface of the rectangle formed by the long and short sides), so the magnetism (magnetic field lines) of the magnet M cannot be detected.

For this reason, as shown by the hatched area in Figure 87(c), the magnetic sensor 1030 has a detection area DA for the magnet M's magnetism on one side and the other side of the long side centered on the magnetic sensor 1030. In other words, the magnetic sensor 1030 has a gourd-shaped detection area DA made up of two spheres with a diameter of approximately 10 cm. Note that Figure 87(c) is a diagram assuming that the magnetic sensor 1030 has been placed near the first starting hole 2003 of the game board 5 as a fraud prevention measure.

Next, as shown in Figure 87 (d), if a magnetic body M1 is placed in parallel with a magnetic sensor 1030 that can detect magnetic field lines from a magnet M, the magnetic field lines will be attracted to the magnetic body M1, reducing the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030, which may prevent the magnetic sensor 1030 from detecting the magnetic field lines (magnetism) from the magnet M.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 87 (e), if a magnetic body M2 is placed in series with a magnetic sensor 1030 that can detect magnetic field lines from a magnet M, the magnetic field lines are attracted by the magnetic body M2, increasing the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030. This makes it possible to detect the magnetic field of a magnet M that is far away or a magnet M with weak magnetic force.

In conventional pachinko machines, magnetic sensors are attached to the game board using screws made of magnetic material. However, depending on the relative positions of the magnetic sensor and the screws, the magnetic field from the magnet M used to commit fraud can be attracted to the screw, which has a high magnetic permeability, reducing the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor, making it impossible to detect the approach of the magnet M. In contrast, in this embodiment, the magnetic sensor 1030 is attached without using screws.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 87 (f), the magnetic sensor 1030 is attached to the frame of the gaming machine (main frame 4 and gaming board 5) via a holding portion 1035 made of a non-magnetic material (here, synthetic resin). The holding portion 1035 is molded integrally with a member not shown. This holding portion 1035 has a storage portion 1036 that can store the magnetic sensor 1030 from one side, and an elastic claw 1037 that engages with the magnetic sensor 1030 stored in the storage portion 1036. The holding portion 1035 also has a protrusion 1038 that protrudes into the storage portion from the leg of the elastic claw 1037. This holding portion 1035 is made of transparent synthetic resin.

When the magnetic sensor 1030 is inserted into the storage section from the outside, the holding section 1035 that holds the magnetic sensor 1030 elastically deforms the elastic claw 1037 in a direction away from the storage section 1036. When the magnetic sensor 1030 is stored in the storage section 1036, the elastic claw 1037 returns to its original position and engages with the end of the magnetic sensor 1030. At this time, the protrusion 1038 on the leg of the elastic claw 1037 abuts against the magnetic sensor 1030, pressing the magnetic sensor 1030 against a portion of the inner surface of the storage section 1036 opposite the elastic claw 1037.

The engagement of this elastic claw 1037 prevents the magnetic sensor 1030 from moving in the direction of coming out of the housing portion 1036, preventing the magnetic sensor 1030 from falling out. Furthermore, the abutment of the protrusion 1038 presses the magnetic sensor 1030 into the housing portion 1036, preventing the magnetic sensor 1030 from rattling within the housing portion 1036.

In this way, because the holding portion 1035 is made of a non-magnetic material, when the magnet M is brought close to the play area 5a, the holding portion 1035 is prevented from attracting magnetic field lines from the magnet M, and a decrease in the magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030 can be prevented. This makes it easier to detect magnetism acting on the play area 5a, allowing for early detection of fraudulent activity using the magnet M, and by reporting the detection of suspicious magnetic fields by the magnetic sensor 1030, it is possible to dissuade players from engaging in fraudulent activity, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that has a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

In addition, the holding portion 1035, which is made of a non-magnetic material, avoids the attraction of magnetic field lines from the magnet M and prevents a decrease in the magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030. This makes it possible to effectively detect the magnetic field acting on the play area 5a with fewer magnetic sensors 1030 than in conventional pachinko machines, allowing for fewer magnetic sensors 1030 than conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by elastically deforming the elastic claws 1037 of the holding portion 1035, the magnetic sensor 1030 can be easily attached to and detached from the holding portion 1035. This means that the magnetic sensor 1030 can be attached using the elastic claws 1037 without using metal screws made of magnetic material, as is the case with conventional pachinko machines. This also simplifies the assembly of the pachinko machine 1, thereby minimizing the increase in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the magnetic sensor 1030 is biased (pressed) toward the storage section 1036 by the protrusion 1038 of the holding section 1035, the biasing force of the protrusion 1038 can be suppressed, which can reduce the possibility of the connector connected to the magnetic sensor 1030 becoming detached or causing poor contact due to such vibration, ensuring reliable operation of the magnetic sensor 1030.

Incidentally, in the case of a pachinko machine 1 that has a circulation path R in the main body frame 4 (game machine frame), the area that is particularly susceptible to fraud is the vicinity of the launch subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launching unit 550, specifically the game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b (launch rail) and the path from the foul unit 570 to the foul ball sensor 607.

For example, if game ball B dropped (supplied) from ball sending unit 700 is attracted by magnet M before being detected by launch subtraction sensor 554 and sent to foul ball sensor 607, the balls in play will be added without being subtracted. This is confirmed to be consistent by software, but the system is designed with a margin of error, meaning that it will not trigger an alarm if there are, for example, 50 or fewer erroneous balls, so it cannot detect just one erroneous ball.

In contrast, the magnetic sensor 1030 can detect fraud using a magnet M and immediately issue an alarm, acting as a deterrent to fraud.

The size and shape of the magnetic sensor 1030, which has the above-mentioned gourd-shaped detection area DA, make it ideal for detecting tampering using magnets M in the two locations mentioned above. Specifically, if the magnetic sensor 1030 is installed midway between the ball launch pad 552b and the foul ball receiving port 600c, for example, slightly above the middle of the left side of the unit base 551 of the ball launching unit 550, the gourd of the gourd-shaped detection area DA will cover the area from the ball delivery port 702 of the ball sending unit 700 to the ball launch pad 552b (launch rail), and the other gourd-shaped detection area DA will cover routes such as the foul ball passage 603. In this case, it is desirable to use a non-ferrous metal such as aluminum plate or duralumin for the unit base 551 of the ball launching unit 550.

This magnetic sensor 1030 is connected to the frame control board 740. When the magnetic sensor 1030 detects magnetism, the frame control board 740 stops the circulation path R and stops adding/subtracting the number of balls held. The frame control board 740 then communicates this to the main control board 1310 via communication. The main control board 1310 then sends a command to the peripheral control board 1510 to issue an alert. The alert may be issued by emitting a warning sound at maximum volume, or by making the entire lamp on the door frame 3 glow/blink red to make it particularly noticeable. Furthermore, the frame control board 740 may output an error signal to the hall computer of the amusement hall via the game ball dispensing device 8, causing an alert lamp installed on the amusement hall side to light up.

[7-11. Relationship between frame decoration member and main body frame]
In this embodiment, a game board 5 that allows the game area 5a to be seen from the front is attached to the main body frame 4, and the following frame decorative members are attached to the door frame 3: a door frame top unit 300 that is provided above the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, a door frame right side unit 340 that is provided to the right of the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, and a performance operation unit 250 (operation device) that is provided in the center of the shelf unit 200 in the left-right direction and can be operated by the player. Figure 88 is an explanatory diagram showing frame decorative members that can be attached and detached to the door frame.

As shown in Figure 88, the game board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right-side unit 340, and presentation operation unit 250 can be attached and detached while the pachinko machine 1 is attached to the island equipment of the amusement hall, and a predetermined set of game boards 5, door frame top units 300, door frame right-side units 340, and presentation operation units 250 can be installed as a group for each model series. In other words, when changing to a new model series, the game board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right-side unit 340, and presentation operation unit 250 corresponding to the previous model series are removed while the pachinko machine 1 is attached to the island equipment of the amusement hall, and then the game board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right-side unit 340, and presentation operation unit 250 corresponding to the new model series are attached. By using this configuration, when changing models and wanting to completely renew not only the gameplay but also the appearance of the gaming machine, the cost of changing the main body frame 4 and door frame 3 can be reduced, allowing for an efficient renewal of the gameplay and appearance of the gaming machine.

In this example, the door frame right side unit 340 is formed integrally with the door frame top unit 300, and the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right side unit 340 are detachable as a unit from the door frame 3. In contrast, the door frame right side unit 340 may be separate from the door frame top unit 300, and each may be detachable from the door frame 3 separately. In addition to giving the gaming machine a new look, the protruding side portions of this type of door frame right side unit 340 act as a barrier between players who leave their seats, reducing the discomfort players may feel when they are concerned about being seen by others, and the protruding upper and side portions create a space unique to each player.

The peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5 is electrically connected to the door frame top relay board (not shown) attached to the door frame top unit 300. The door frame top relay board relays the connection with the door frame top decorative board, which is equipped with multiple LEDs for illuminating and decorating the door frame top decorative body 301 of the door frame top unit 300, and the door frame right side decorative board, which is equipped with multiple LEDs for illuminating and decorating the door frame right side decorative body 341, the door frame right side left side decorative body, and the door frame right side right side decorative body of the door frame right side unit 340. This allows the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 to control the illumination of various LEDs mounted on the door frame top decorative board and the door frame right side decorative board, for example, via the door frame top relay board.

The peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5 is also electrically connected to an operation unit relay board (not shown) attached to the effect operation unit 250. The operation unit relay board relays the connection to an operation unit decoration board (not shown) that is equipped with multiple LEDs for lighting up and decorating the first effect button 251 and second effect button 252 of the effect operation unit 250. This allows the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 to, for example, control the lighting of various LEDs mounted on the operation unit decoration board via the operation unit relay board.

[7-11a. ID code for frame decoration parts]
The door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300 and the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250 are pre-stored with a unique ID code, which is special information with a unique code (a code that exists only once in the world) to identify the machine series. This ID code is unique to each machine series and cannot be rewritten even by an external device. The peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 is capable of retrieving and referencing the ID codes from the door frame top relay board and the operation unit relay board. The RAM built into the peripheral control unit 1511 stores a table for referencing the ID codes attached to the door frame top relay board and the operation unit relay board. The ID codes stored in this table match the ID codes of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300 of the machine series that matches the game board 5, and the ID codes of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250 of the machine series that matches the game board 5.

When the power is turned on, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 determines within a predetermined determination period whether the ID code stored in the lookup table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300, and whether the ID code stored in the lookup table matches the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250. Here, if a door frame top unit 300 and a door frame right side unit 340 of the same model series (that are in a regular relationship) are attached to the gaming board 5, the ID code stored in the lookup table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300. On the other hand, if a door frame top unit 300 and a door frame right side unit 340 of a different model series (that are not in a regular relationship) are attached to the gaming board 5, the respective ID codes will not match. Similarly, if a presentation operation unit 250 of a matching model series (regular relationship) is attached to the gaming board 5, the ID code stored in the reference table will match the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the presentation operation unit 250; on the other hand, if a presentation operation unit 250 of a mismatched model series (not regular relationship) is attached to the gaming board 5, the ID code stored in the reference table will not match the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the presentation operation unit 250.

In this example, the following power-on patterns A to C are provided as power-on operation modes. Power-on pattern A occurs when the power switch 751 is operated without turning on the RAM clear switch 741. This does not execute a RAM clear to initialize the RAM built into the main control board 1310, and game-related information is not initialized. Power-on pattern B occurs when the power switch 751 is operated while turning on the RAM clear switch 741. This executes a RAM clear and initializes game-related information. Power-on pattern C occurs when the power switch 751 is operated while turning on the ball removal switch 742, without turning on the RAM clear switch 741. This executes the ball removal process described above. Power-on pattern C does not execute a RAM clear and does not initialize game-related information, but game progress during the ball removal process is stopped. The determination of whether the ID codes match is performed when power is turned on using power-on patterns A and B, but is not performed when power is turned on using power-on pattern C. In other words, when the power is turned on using power-on pattern C, the game progress is stopped during the ball removal process, and there is no need to execute the light-emitting effect using the frame decoration components, so no check is performed to see if the components have matching ID codes.

Furthermore, if only the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 does not match the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 is used to execute error notification pattern 1 (for example, displaying "Please check the type of door frame top unit") to notify that a door frame top unit 300 and door frame right side unit 340 that do not match the model series have been installed.Furthermore, if only the ID code of the performance operation unit 250 does not match the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 is used to execute error notification pattern 2 (for example, displaying "Please check the type of performance operation unit") to notify that a performance operation unit 250 that does not match the model series has been installed. Furthermore, if the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 and the ID code of the performance operation unit 250 do not match the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 executes error notification pattern 3 (for example, a message saying "Please check the types of the door frame top unit, door frame right side unit, and performance operation unit") to notify the player that a door frame top unit 300 and door frame right side unit 340 of an incompatible model series and a performance operation unit 250 of an incompatible model series have been installed.

On the other hand, if the door frame top unit 300 or the performance operation unit 250 is not attached to the door frame 3, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 cannot retrieve and reference the ID code from the door frame top relay board or the operation unit relay board when power is turned on. In such a case, when power is turned on, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 determines whether the ID code stored in the lookup table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300, and whether the ID code stored in the lookup table matches the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250. However, since no ID code has been input to the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510, the ID code cannot be confirmed. Specifically, when power is turned on, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the device is not connected if no ID code is input from the door frame top relay board or the operation unit relay board after a predetermined determination period has elapsed.

Furthermore, if only the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 cannot be confirmed (obtained) for the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 is used to execute error notification pattern 4 (for example, displaying "Please check the connection of the door frame top unit and door frame right side unit") to notify that the performance operation unit 250 and door frame right side unit 340 are not installed.Furthermore, if only the ID code of the performance operation unit 250 cannot be confirmed (obtained) for the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 is used to execute error notification pattern 5 (for example, displaying "Please check the connection of the performance operation unit") to notify that the performance operation unit 250 is not installed. Furthermore, if neither the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 nor the ID code of the performance operation unit 250 can be confirmed (obtained) for the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 executes error notification pattern 6 (for example, a message saying "Please check the connections between the door frame top unit, door frame right side unit, and performance operation unit") to notify that the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250 are not attached.

Here, with regard to the gaming board 5, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the gaming board 5 can be controlled to emit light when normal effects (changing effects and non-changing effects) are being performed, regardless of whether the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300 and the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the effect operation unit 250 match. Similarly, with regard to the gaming board 5, even if the ID code of any part of the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, or effect operation unit 250 cannot be confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the gaming board 5 can be controlled to emit light when normal effects (changing effects and non-changing effects) are being performed.

Furthermore, for the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right-side unit 340, if the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300, during normal performances (changing performances and non-changing performances), the various LEDs mounted on, for example, the door frame top decorative board of the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right-side decorative board of the door frame right-side unit 340 can be controlled to emit light via the door frame top relay board. However, if they do not match, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right-side unit 340, which are not of the same model series (not in a regular relationship), are not controlled to emit light, and the various LEDs are turned off. Furthermore, if the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right-side unit 340 are not installed and the ID code of the door frame top relay board cannot be confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right-side unit 340 are not controlled to emit light.

Similarly, for the performance operation unit 250, if the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250, then during normal performances (changing or non-changing performances), the various LEDs mounted on, for example, the front decorative board or rear decorative board can be controlled to emit light via the operation unit relay board. However, if they do not match, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of a performance operation unit 250 that does not match the model series (is not in a regular relationship) will not be controlled to emit light, and will remain turned off. Furthermore, if the performance operation unit 250 is not attached and the ID code of the operation unit relay board cannot be confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the performance operation unit 250 will not be controlled to emit light.

Furthermore, when predetermined execution conditions are met, when the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the gaming board 5 are controlled to emit light, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right-side unit 340, which are components located around the gaming board 5, and the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the performance operation unit 250 are controlled in cooperation. This allows for the execution of integrated light-emitting performances using not only the gaming board 5, but also the door frame top unit 300, door frame right-side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250. However, for parts of the door frame top unit 300, door frame right-side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250 whose ID codes do not match those of the gaming board 5, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of those parts are not controlled to emit light, and therefore cannot participate in the light-emitting performance. Similarly, for the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340 and performance operation unit 250 that are not attached to the door frame 3 and whose ID codes have not been confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of those parts that have not been confirmed cannot be controlled to emit light, and therefore cannot participate in the light-emitting performance.

As mentioned above, when a predetermined execution condition is met, when the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the gaming board 5 are controlled to emit light, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right-side unit 340, which are components located around the gaming board 5, and the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the performance operation unit 250 are controlled in cooperation with each other. However, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the door frame 3 can also be controlled in cooperation with each other. This makes it possible to execute an integrated light-emitting performance using not only the gaming board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right-side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250, but also the door frame 3.

[Regarding operation check of frame decoration parts (reusable products)]
In recent years, with the improvement in the performance of gaming machines, the cost of manufacturing gaming machines can become high if new parts are constantly procured to manufacture them. To prevent such cost increases, it is possible to reuse some or all of the specific decorative parts (including drive-related, light-emitting, etc.) that are part of the gaming machine. For example, the gaming board 5 can be easily attached and detached to the door frame 3, and the above-mentioned frame decoration member can also be easily attached and detached to the door frame 3 and used as a reusable part. However, since it is necessary to determine whether such reusable parts are in normal operation during inspection at the shipping source, the operating condition of each reusable part must be individually confirmed. However, when attaching or detaching a reusable part, there may be cases where the reusable part is attached to the game board 5 and so it is necessary to temporarily remove the game board 5 from the door frame 3, or if the operational status of the reusable part can only be checked when the power is turned off and then turned back on after the reusable part is attached or detached, since it is necessary to remove the game board 5 and turn off the power every time a reusable part is attached or detached, it becomes time-consuming to check the operational status of the reusable part. In this regard, in this example, the time-consuming task of removing the game board 5 and turning off the power is eliminated, improving the efficiency of checking the operational status of the reusable parts and providing a highly convenient pachinko machine 1.

The frame decoration member described above is a specific decorative component that is part of the pachinko machine 1, but is not attached to the game board 5, but is attached to the door frame 3. Therefore, the frame decoration member can be attached and detached from the door frame 3 without removing the game board 5 from the door frame 3, while the game board 5 remains attached to the door frame 3. Furthermore, the frame decoration members, including the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250, are attached and detached using a tool-less locking mechanism, which simplifies the installation work required by the hall manager. Examples of tool-less locking mechanisms include hand screws with a knob at the top, well-known snap locks that can be attached and detached with a single touch by moving a lever up or down (not shown), and well-known crescent locks that can be attached and detached by rotating a lever. In this way, the frame decoration member can be easily attached and detached from the door frame 3, eliminating the need for time and effort when checking the operating status of the frame decoration member.

Furthermore, the frame decoration element can be attached or detached both before and after power is turned on. However, if the power is turned off while the device is powered on, then the frame decoration element is detached and then turned on again to check the operational status of the detached frame decoration element, checking the operational status can be time-consuming. For this reason, in this example, if a specific operation is performed before detaching the frame decoration element while the device is powered on, the device transitions to a special state (reuse confirmation state) that allows the operational status of the detached frame decoration element to be checked after detaching the frame decoration element without having to turn the power off and then on again. Furthermore, in the power-on state, the device monitors whether the reuse permission switch has been operated as a specific operation, and at a determination timing when a predetermined period (e.g., 3 seconds) has elapsed since power was turned on, it determines whether the reuse permission switch was turned on before that determination timing. Specifically, the reuse permission switch operation information is referenced at a determination timing after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since power-on. If the operation information indicates "operation" (for example, the reuse permission switch is turned ON before or at the same time as the determination timing), the reuse confirmation state is initiated. By attaching or detaching a frame decorative element in this reuse confirmation state, the operational status of the detached frame decorative element can be confirmed. On the other hand, if the reuse permission switch operation information is referenced at a determination timing after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since power-on and the operation information indicates "no operation" (for example, the reuse permission switch is turned ON after the determination timing), the reuse confirmation state is not initiated and the normal state remains. Even if the frame decorative element is detached in this normal state, the operational status of the detached frame decorative element cannot be confirmed. Note that an external notification may be sent to notify the operator that the reuse permission switch can be turned ON between power-on and the predetermined period of time.

In this example, the following power-on patterns A to C are provided as modes of operation when the power is turned on. Power-on pattern A occurs when the power switch 751 is operated without turning on the RAM clear switch 741, and RAM clear, which initializes the RAM built into the main control board 1310, is not performed, and information related to the game is not initialized. Power-on pattern B occurs when the power switch 751 is operated while turning on the RAM clear switch 741, and RAM clear is performed and information related to the game is initialized. Power-on pattern C occurs when the RAM clear switch 741 is not turned on, but the ball removal switch 742 is turned on and the power switch 751 is operated, and the ball removal process described above is performed. In power-on pattern C, RAM clear is not performed and information related to the game is not initialized, but the progress of the game during the ball removal process is stopped. At the above-mentioned determination timing, the determination of whether the reuse permission switch was turned ON before that determination timing is performed when the power is turned on using power-on patterns A and B, but is not performed when the power is turned on using power-on pattern C. In other words, when the power is turned on using power-on pattern C, the ball removal process is simply performed, and the reuse confirmation state is not initiated, making it impossible to check the operating state of the frame decoration member.

To explain the specific operation mentioned above in more detail, a reuse permission switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 as an operation control unit (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) on the main control board 1310, which cannot be touched by the player. Furthermore, before the judgment timing when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after power-on, each time the reuse permission switch is turned ON, operation information for the reuse permission switch is input to the main control board 1310, and the main control board 1310 stores the number of times the operation information for the reuse permission switch has been input. At the determination timing, which is a predetermined period of time after power-on, the main control board 1310 references the memory of the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information has been input. If the referenced memory count of the number of times the operation information has been input is “one” (e.g., the reuse permission switch was turned ON once before or simultaneously with the determination timing), the reuse confirmation state A is initiated. If the memory count of the number of times the operation information has been input is “two or more” (e.g., the reuse permission switch was turned ON twice before or simultaneously with the determination timing), the reuse confirmation state B is initiated. These reuse confirmation states may be terminated after a certain period of time has elapsed, but it is preferable that they be terminated at the operator's discretion (e.g., by operating the same operation unit as the operation unit operated to initiate the reuse confirmation state) rather than after a certain period of time has elapsed. This allows the duration of the reuse confirmation state to be set arbitrarily, improving the convenience for operators who detach and attach frame decorative members and check the operating status of the detached frame decorative members. In this example, whether reuse confirmation state A or reuse confirmation state B is initiated is determined by the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information is input, but it may also be determined by another type of operation.

The peripheral control board 1510 also monitors whether or not it is electrically connected to frame decoration members such as the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side unit 340. In this example, each frame decoration member is connected to the main frame 4 and door frame 3 of the pachinko machine 1 using a drawer connector. If the electrical connection via the drawer connector is interrupted, the frame decoration member has detached from the pachinko machine 1 or shifted position, and the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected. In other words, for example, if an operator removes a frame decoration member while the power is on, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected, and if the frame decoration member is reinstalled, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is connected. Unlike this example, a detection switch may be provided to detect whether each frame decoration member is in the correct position, and if the detection switch connected by wiring to the peripheral control board 1510 is OFF, the frame decoration member has detached from the pachinko machine 1 or has shifted position, and the peripheral control board 1510 may determine that the frame decoration member is not connected.

Below, we will first explain the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the door frame 3 is opened and the frame decoration member is detached during normal business hours, focusing on the operating state of the frame decoration member. Normal business hours refer to when the power is on and the reuse permission switch is not operated before the determination timing when a predetermined period of time has passed since power was turned on, and the frame decoration member is detached in the normal state, not the reuse confirmation state. Next, we will explain the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the door frame 3 is opened and the frame decoration member is detached in the reuse confirmation state, focusing on the operating state of the frame decoration member. The reuse confirmation state refers to when the power is on and the reuse permission switch is operated before the determination timing when a predetermined period of time has passed since power was turned on, and the frame decoration member is detached after transitioning to the reuse confirmation state.

(Attachment and removal of frame decoration components during normal business hours)
89 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the door frame 3 is opened and a frame decoration member is attached or detached during normal business hours. First, we will explain the case where the reuse permission switch is not operated before the predetermined judgment timing, so that the frame decoration member is detached while remaining in the normal state without transitioning from the normal state to the reuse confirmation state. Regarding the attachment or detachment of the frame decoration member during normal business hours, it is assumed that if a malfunction (abnormality, failure, etc.) occurs in the frame decoration member, such as the LED of the frame decoration member no longer emitting light, the door frame 3 is opened and the frame decoration member is removed, and then the door frame 3 is temporarily closed without the frame decoration member being attached, and the door frame 3 is then opened again to attach the same frame decoration member or a different frame decoration member.

As shown in FIG. 89, after power is first turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, and the game state on the main control board 1310 side is controlled to the normal state, allowing a period during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the normal state after power is turned on, when the player operates the handle 160, game balls can be launched into the game area 5a. When a starting win occurs, the display of the variable special symbols can begin. When the variable special symbol display stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin. In the normal state, the period during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side continues, regardless of whether the frame decoration member is removed at timing t2, etc., as described below. Additionally, the peripheral control board 1510 monitors whether or not it is electrically connected to frame decoration components such as the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250. After power is turned on at timing ts, it determines that the frame decoration components have not been removed and are connected by the time timing tx, which will be described later, arrives.

The peripheral control board 1510 also controls the frame interior LEDs (lamp A) mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration components, the frame exterior LEDs (lamp B) mounted on various decorative boards other than the frame decoration components, the performance display device 1600, the speaker, etc., and these components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are set to perform their normal operation after being powered on at timing ts. Lamp B can also be classified as frame exterior LED 1 mounted on the various decorative boards of some components other than the frame decoration components, and frame exterior LED 2 mounted on the various decorative boards of other components. The frame exterior LED 1 is set to perform its normal operation regardless of whether the door frame 3 is open or closed, or whether a frame decoration component is attached or closed. Here, during normal operation, when the special symbol variable display is not being executed, an operation corresponding to a standby effect (e.g., a demo effect) is executed while waiting for the special symbol variable display to begin. When the special symbol variable display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 executes an operation corresponding to a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) based on the variable pattern command received. For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command, the effect display device 1600 executes an effect display (e.g., a reach effect) including a variable display of the decorative symbol, and the LEDs of Lamp A (inside the frame decoration), Lamp B (outside the frame decoration LED 1), and Lamp B (outside the frame decoration LED 2) light up or flash in conjunction with the effect display executed by the effect display device 1600, and sound is output from the speaker in conjunction with the effect display executed by the effect display device 1600.

Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, normal operation is performed after the power is turned on at timing ts, but for such components, the volume and light intensity can be changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity are adjusted internally, so that this is reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. However, for lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1), which is one of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, the LED light intensity is kept constant, so that the volume and light intensity do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

The external terminal board can also output predetermined signals to the hall computer, and by receiving these signals the hall computer can understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1. In this case, the door frame 3 is closed, so the door frame open signal described below is not output, and since this is the normal state, not the reuse confirmation state described below, the reuse confirmation signal described below is not output.

Then, at time tz1, a predetermined period of time after power-on at time ts, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1. In other words, the determination determines whether the reuse permission switch was operated between time ts and time tz1. In this case, because the reuse permission switch was not operated before time tz1, the machine does not transition to the reuse confirmation state at time tz1, and continues in the normal state thereafter. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is also assumed to remain unchanged before and after time tz1. For example, components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 continue to operate normally even after time tz1.

Furthermore, even if the reuse permission switch is operated at timing tz2 after it is determined that the reuse permission switch has not been operated at timing tz1, the normal state does not transition to the reuse confirmation state, and the normal state continues thereafter. In other words, the operation of the reuse permission switch at timing tz2 is treated as invalid. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is also assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing tz2. For example, components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 continue to operate normally even after timing tz2.

Next, at timing t1, when the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state, a signal from the opening switch to detect the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310, and a door frame open command to notify the peripheral control board 1510 that the door frame 3 has been opened is output to the peripheral control board 1510. At this time, after power is turned on at timing ts, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing their normal operations, but at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command and performs the open operation.

Specifically, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a door frame open command, lamp A (inside the frame LED) and lamp B (outside the frame LED 2) light up or flash in a single color with high brightness to emit light when opened, and the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Door frame is open" to indicate opening, and outputs the sound "Door frame is open" from the speaker to indicate opening. However, of the components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, lamp B (outside the frame LED 1) continues to operate normally without performing the opening operation.

Furthermore, at timing t1, when the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing their opening operations, with the exception of lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1). During this opening operation, the light intensity of the LEDs and other components is kept constant, and the volume from the speaker is kept constant. For this reason, for components performing the opening operation, the volume and light intensity do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. When the device is returned to normal operation, this internally adjusted volume and light intensity will be reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed based on the internally adjusted volume and light intensity. Note that the light intensity of the performance display device 1600 may change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is opened under normal conditions at time t1, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal stops being output to the hall computer a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) after the door frame 3 is closed at time t2, which will be described later. This makes it easier for the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time of the door frame 3 is short.

Next, if the frame decoration member is removed under normal conditions at timing tx after the door frame 3 is opened, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected. At this time, after the door frame 3 is opened at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 executes the opening operation for the member instructed to operate. However, after the frame decoration member is removed at timing tx, the peripheral control board 1510 executes the opening operation for the member instructed to operate, even though it is possible to execute the operation for when the frame decoration is not connected. The operation for when the frame decoration is not connected is executed after the door frame 3 is closed and the opening operation is completed. In this way, if the peripheral control board 1510 executes the operation for when the frame decoration is not connected for the member instructed to operate with priority, the opening of the door frame 3 would not be notified to the outside, and fraudulent activity could be performed on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 without the hall manager noticing. However, by executing the opening operation with priority, such a situation can be prevented. In the normal state, regardless of whether the frame decoration member is removed at timing t2, the period during which the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side continues.

However, among the components for which operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, the performance display device 1600 performs the operation when the frame decoration is not connected in addition to the operation when the door is opened. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 not only displays the message "Door frame is open" when the door is open, but also displays the message "Frame decoration member is not connected" when the frame decoration is not connected. In other words, under normal conditions, the frame decoration member is not permitted to be removed without performing the operation when the frame decoration is not connected. Furthermore, with regard to lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration), once the frame decoration member has been removed, the LED will no longer light up or flash.

Next, after the frame decoration member is removed, if the door frame 3 is closed under normal conditions at timing t2, a signal from the close switch to detect the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310, and a door frame close command to notify the closure of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. At this time, after the frame decoration member is removed at timing tx, the peripheral control board 1510 instructs the operation of the member to be opened, prioritizing the operation when the frame decoration is not connected. However, at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame close command, and ends the open operation, and performs the operation when the frame decoration is not connected.

Specifically, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a door frame close command, Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2) lights or flashes a single color (different from the color emitted when the door frame is open) with high brightness to indicate that the door frame is not connected. The performance display device 1600 displays the message "Frame decoration component not connected" to indicate that the door frame is not connected, and the speaker outputs the sound "Frame decoration component not connected" to indicate that the door frame is not connected. However, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1) continues its normal operation without performing the operation it performs when the door frame is not connected. Furthermore, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2) is set to emit light when the door frame is closed for a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) after receiving the door frame close command, and then emits light when the door frame is not connected after that predetermined period has elapsed. This means that even if the door frame 3 is only opened and closed for a short time, lighting the light when it is closed makes it easier for the hall staff to notice that the door frame 3 has been opened.

Furthermore, at timing t2, when the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, with the exception of Lamp B (outside the frame LED 1), are performing the same operation as when the frame is not connected. During this operation when the frame is not connected, the light intensity of the LEDs and the volume from the speaker are kept constant. For this reason, for components performing the operation when the frame is not connected, the volume and light intensity do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. When the normal operation is restored, this internally adjusted volume and light intensity will be reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed based on the internally adjusted volume and light intensity. Note that the light intensity of the performance display device 1600 may change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Next, at timing t3, when the door frame 3 is opened again in the normal state to attach the frame decoration member, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state at timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened again while the frame decoration member has been removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 perform their open operation in priority over the operation they perform when the frame decoration is not connected. However, since the frame decoration member has been removed, Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) does not perform its open operation. Furthermore, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, the performance display device 1600 performs its operation when the frame decoration is not connected in addition to its open operation.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if the frame decoration member is attached again in the normal state at timing ty, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member has been connected. At this time, after the door frame 3 is opened at timing t2, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 perform their opening operation, but even after the frame decoration member is attached at timing ty, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 continue to operate as they would if the frame decoration were not connected. However, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, the performance display device 1600 continues to operate as it would if the frame decoration were not connected, in addition to its opening operation, even after the frame decoration member is attached at timing ty. Furthermore, after the frame decoration member is attached, and the door frame 3 is closed at timing t4 (described below), the opening operation ends, but it does not return to normal operation and continues to operate as it would if the frame decoration were not connected. This means that if the frame decoration member is removed under normal conditions, even if it is reattached, evidence that the frame decoration member has been disconnected will remain, preventing fraudulent activity caused by the attachment and detachment of the frame decoration member.

Furthermore, if a frame decoration member is attached in the normal state at timing ty, Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) begins to receive electricity when the frame decoration member is attached, but it does not light up or flash after that and remains off. This means that if the frame decoration member is removed in the normal state, even if the frame decoration member is attached again, evidence that the frame decoration member has been disconnected remains, preventing fraudulent activity through the attachment and removal of the frame decoration member. Furthermore, in this example, the reuse permission switch is not operated before the determination timing of timing tz1, and the device remains in the normal state after timing tz1 and does not transition to the reuse confirmation state. However, even if a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in such a normal state, the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member cannot be confirmed. In other words, in the normal state, the operation of the frame decoration member is not permitted when the frame decoration member is attached.

Next, after the frame decoration is installed, if the door frame 3 is closed under normal conditions at timing t4, a signal from the closing switch to detect the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310, which then outputs a door frame close command to the peripheral control board 1510 to signal the closure of the door frame 3. At this time, after the frame decoration is installed at timing ty, the components instructed by the peripheral control board 1510 are executing their opening operations. However, at timing t4, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame close command and terminates their opening operations, executing normal operations. However, among the components instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, Lamp B (external frame decoration LED 2) is set to emit a closing light for a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) after receiving the door frame close command, and then emits a normal light after that predetermined period has elapsed. This allows the hall staff to easily notice that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the door frame 3 is opened or closed only briefly, by emitting a closing light.

As explained in detail above, after the frame decoration member is attached, at timing t4, the door frame 3 is closed and the open operation ends, but the normal operation does not return and the operation when the frame decoration is not connected continues. Furthermore, if the frame decoration member is attached in the normal state at timing ty, lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) is turned off, but this off state continues even after the door frame 3 is closed at timing t4. In such a case, unless the power is subsequently turned back on, the off state will not be canceled and the lamp will not light up, making it time-consuming to check the operating status of the attached or detached frame decoration member.

(Removal and installation of frame decoration member in reuse confirmation state A, part 1)
90 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame 3 is open in the reuse confirmation state A and then attached while the next door frame 3 is open. First, a case will be described in which the frame decoration member is removed after transitioning from the normal state to the reuse confirmation state A by operating the reuse permission switch before a predetermined determination timing. Regarding the removal and attachment of the frame decoration member in the reuse confirmation state A, when checking the operating states of multiple frame decoration members used as reusable parts, it is assumed that after the door frame 3 is opened and the frame decoration member is removed, the door frame 3 is temporarily closed with the frame decoration member still disconnected, and the door frame 3 is then opened again to attach another frame decoration member or to reattach the same frame decoration member for reconfirmation.

As shown in Figure 90, after power is first turned on at timing ts, the device behaves the same as when power is turned on at timing ts shown in Figure 89. For example, after power is turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, the game state on the main control board 1310 side is controlled to the normal state, and a period is set in which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the normal state after power is turned on, when the player operates the handle 160, game balls can be launched into the game area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be initiated when a starting win occurs, and the jackpot game can be initiated when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays the winning symbol. The peripheral control board 1510 also monitors whether or not it is electrically connected to frame decoration components such as the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250. After power is turned on at time ts, it determines that the frame decoration components have not been removed and are still connected by the time the timing tx described below arrives. Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, normal operation is performed after power is turned on at time ts.

Then, at time tz1, a predetermined period after power-on at time ts, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1. In other words, the determination determines whether the reuse permission switch was operated between time ts and time tz1. Here, by operating the reuse permission switch at time tx3, which is before time tz1, the game transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A at time tz1. After transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at time tz1, the main control board 1310 is in a period during which it is unable to proceed with gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, even if the player operates the handle 160, it is impossible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a. Even if a starting win occurs, the display of the special symbol cannot be initiated, and normal gameplay is unavailable. This prevents normal gameplay from interfering with the removal and attachment of frame decoration members or the confirmation of their operational status in reuse confirmation state A. In reuse confirmation state A, a period of time during which gameplay (main gameplay) cannot be progressed on the main control board 1310 side continues until reuse confirmation state A is ended by operating the reuse permission switch again at timing tz4, described below.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, some of the components for which the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed them to operate are used to perform the operations required for reuse confirmation. Specifically, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "You can now check the operation of the frame decoration components" as a display for reuse confirmation, and outputs the sound "You can now check the operation of the frame decoration components" from the speaker as a reuse confirmation sound. Meanwhile, among the components for which the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed them to operate, Lamp A (inside the frame decoration LED), Lamp B (outside the frame decoration LED 1), and Lamp B (outside the frame decoration LED 2) continue to operate normally without performing the operations required for reuse confirmation. In this way, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, only some of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing reuse confirmation operations. However, the transition to reuse confirmation state A is caused by the operator operating the reuse permission switch, and there is no need to notify the outside in an easily recognizable manner. Therefore, lamp A (inside frame LED), lamp B (outside frame LED 1), and lamp B (outside frame LED 2) do not perform reuse confirmation operations. Furthermore, these reuse confirmation operations continue until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, described below, to end reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, some of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing reuse confirmation operations. For these components, the light intensity of LEDs and other components is kept constant, and the volume from the speaker is kept constant. Therefore, for components performing reuse confirmation operations, the volume and light intensity do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. When the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 (described below) to transition from reuse confirmation state A to the normal state and return to normal operation, these internally adjusted volume and light intensity are reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed based on the internally adjusted volume and light intensity. Meanwhile, even after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the components that are still operating normally, Lamp A (inside the frame LED) and Lamp B (outside the frame LED 2), have their light intensity changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204. However, for Lamp B (outside the frame LED 1), the LED light intensity is kept constant, so that the light intensity does not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. In this way, in this example, components that keep the LED light intensity constant are provided, so it is easy to determine whether the light intensity has changed compared to components that do not keep the LED light intensity constant. Note that the light intensity of the performance display device 1600 may also change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, after the transition to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, a reuse confirmation signal is output from the external terminal board to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the transition to reuse confirmation state A has occurred. Output of this reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer is terminated when the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, described below, to end reuse confirmation state A. Note that output of the reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer may also be terminated when a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed after end of reuse confirmation state A. This makes it easier for the hall to notice that the transition to reuse confirmation state A has occurred, even if the transition period to reuse confirmation state A is short.

Next, at timing t1, when the door frame 3 is opened in the reuse confirmation state A, a signal from the opening switch to detect the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310, and a door frame open command to notify the peripheral control board 1510 that the door frame 3 has been opened is output. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate normally even after timing t1, while those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to operate as they did during reuse confirmation even after timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened in the reuse confirmation state A, although the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform their opening operations, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. This prevents the removal and installation of frame decorative members and confirmation of their operational status from being hindered by the opening operation being performed in reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A at time t1, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal stops being output to the hall computer a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) after the door frame 3 is closed at time t2, which will be described later. This makes it easier for the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time of the door frame 3 is short.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A at time tx, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time tx. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate normally even after time tx, while those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to operate as they would if the frame decoration were not connected even after time tx. Furthermore, if the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, although the frame decoration member has been removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform the operations they would perform if the frame decoration were not connected, and the behavior is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time tx. In other words, in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member can be removed without performing the operations they would perform if the frame decoration were not connected. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame decoration components and confirmation of the frame decoration component's operating status from being hindered in reuse confirmation state A by operations that are performed when the frame decoration is not connected.

The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 does not change before or after timing tx, but as for Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration), since the frame decoration member has been removed, the LED no longer lights up or flashes after that.

Next, after removing the frame decoration member, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A at timing t2, a signal from the closing switch for detecting the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310, and a door frame closing command for notifying the closure of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate normally even after timing t2, while those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to operate as they did during reuse confirmation even after timing t2. In other words, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame closing command, but the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform their closing operations, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. This prevents the removal and installation of the frame decoration member and confirmation of its operational status from being hindered by the execution of the closing operation when in reuse confirmation state A.

Next, when the door frame 3 is opened again at timing t3 in reuse confirmation state A to attach the frame decoration member, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A at timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened again while the frame decoration member is being removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform the opening operation, and no change occurs before or after timing t3. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to perform normal operations even after timing t3, and those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to perform reuse confirmation operations even after timing t3.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if the frame decoration member is attached again at timing ty in reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member has been connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing ty. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are performing normal operations continue to perform normal operations even after timing ty, and components that are performing reuse confirmation operations continue to perform reuse confirmation operations even after timing ty.

Furthermore, if a frame decoration member is attached in reuse confirmation state A at timing ty, the attachment of the frame decoration member causes the lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) to start receiving electricity, and the lamp A performs normal operation. As described above in detail, during normal operation, when the special symbol variable display is not being executed, the lamp A performs an operation corresponding to a standby effect (e.g., a demo effect) while waiting for the special symbol variable display to begin. When the special symbol variable display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command and performs an operation corresponding to a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command, the lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) lights up or flashes in conjunction with the effect display executed by the effect display device 1600. However, if the frame decoration is installed and a malfunction occurs, such as a disconnection in the wiring to Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) preventing power from being supplied, or if Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) itself breaks down, normal operation will not be performed and the LED will not light up or flash.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is not operated before the determination timing of timing tz1, the device remains in the normal state and does not transition to the reuse confirmation state. Even if the frame decoration member is removed and then reattached, the light does not light up or flash afterwards and remains off. However, if the reuse permission switch is operated once before the determination timing of timing tz1, the device transitions to reuse confirmation state A. In reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is removed, and then reattached at timing ty, allowing normal operation. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is permitted to operate when it is attached. Then, transition to reuse confirmation state A is conditional on operating the reuse permission switch once before the determination timing of timing tz1. When a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state A, the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member can be confirmed.

In addition, in this example, during the period from timing tx to timing ty, i.e., while the frame decoration member is removed to attach or detach it in reuse confirmation state A, the LED of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) does not light up or flash. However, during this period, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but the adjustment is not reflected in the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED). When the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty (described below) and the LED is able to light up or flash, these internally adjusted volume and light intensity are reflected in the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) based on the internally adjusted light intensity. Thus, in this example, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty (described below), the internally adjusted light intensity is not reset to its initial state, but rather the internally adjusted light intensity is reflected as is, making it easy to determine whether the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) of the attached (detached) frame decoration member is changing normally. Regardless of whether the frame decoration member is removed or not, the light intensity of the LED for Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1) is kept constant, and the light intensity does not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Therefore, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity for Lamp A (inside frame decoration LED) of the frame decoration member is changing normally by comparing it with Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1).

The above-mentioned Lamp A (in-frame LED) is an in-frame LED mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member and is provided on the frame decoration member. However, the frame decoration member may also be provided with an in-frame LED2 (Lamp A') mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member in addition to Lamp A (in-frame LED). The light output of Lamp A' (in-frame LED 2) is kept constant, so that the volume and light output do not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Because Lamp A' (in-frame LED 2) is provided on the frame decoration member just like Lamp A (in-frame LED), when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, it can be easily determined whether the light output of Lamp A (in-frame LED) on the frame decoration member is changing normally, based on the light output internally adjusted during the period the frame decoration member was removed, by comparing it with Lamp A' (in-frame LED 2) on the frame decoration member.

Next, when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t4 after the frame decoration member is attached, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed after the frame decoration member is attached, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform their closing operation, and no change occurs before or after timing t4. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to perform their normal operations even after timing t4, and those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to perform reuse confirmation operations even after timing t4.

Next, after closing the door frame 3, if the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, reuse confirmation state A ends and the system transitions to the normal state. Here, the normal state is the same as the normal state after the power is turned on at timing ts. In other words, after the main control board 1310 transitions to the normal state at timing tz4, it is possible for the main control board 1310 to continue gameplay (main gameplay) on its side. Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, normal operation is performed after transitioning to the normal state at timing tz4. In this way, in this example, the frame decoration member, which is a reusable part, can be detached, and after the operational status of the frame decoration member has been confirmed, the system can be returned to the normal state from reuse confirmation state A. Therefore, after confirming the operational status of the frame decoration member, it is possible to check whether gameplay (main gameplay) is proceeding normally.

In this example, after the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, causing Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform its normal operation. However, it is also possible to have Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) perform its normal operation by not performing its normal operation when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, but by operating the operation permission switch after the frame decoration member is reattached. The operation permission switch is located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and is provided on the main control board 1310 as a control unit for operation that cannot be touched by the player (such as a button that can switch between the ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between the ON and OFF states by inserting a key). Furthermore, between the time the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty and the time the operation permission switch is operated, Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) is in standby mode, for example, with the LED lit or extinguished. This allows the hall manager to check the operating status of the frame decoration members at will by operating the operation permission switch, improving convenience.

The above-mentioned operation permission switch is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also serve as the operation permission switch. In other words, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, normal operation may not be performed, but by operating the reuse permission switch after the frame decoration member is attached, Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) may perform normal operation. The reuse permission switch may also be configured to allow the user to select one option from multiple options, and may be configured to have an option for starting the reuse confirmation state and an option for Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform normal operation.

In addition, in this example, after the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty while the door frame 3 is open, causing lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform its normal operation. However, if the frame decoration member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty, the normal operation may not be performed, and lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) may be configured to perform its normal operation by closing the open door frame 3 at timing t2. In this case, from the time the frame decoration member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty until the open door frame 3 is closed, lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) is in standby mode, for example, with the LED turned on or off. This allows the hall manager to optionally start checking the operating status of the frame decoration member by closing the door frame 3, improving convenience.

In this example, the period before the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end the reuse confirmation state is set as a period during which game (main game) cannot be progressed on the main control board 1310 side, and when the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end the reuse confirmation state is set as a period during which game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side. However, even before the reuse permission switch is operated again to end the reuse confirmation state, the period during which game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side may be entered by operating the game permission switch. The game permission switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 as a work operation unit (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that is inaccessible to the player and is provided on the main control board 1310. As a result, during the period when the game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side, operating the handle 160 allows the launch of game balls into the game area 5a, and when a starting win occurs, a lottery can be held to start the variable display of special symbols, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin. Therefore, the hall manager can check whether the game (main game) is progressing normally by operating the game permission switch at will, thereby improving convenience.

The above-mentioned play permission switch is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also serve as the play permission switch. In other words, by operating the reuse permission switch at a timing before operating the reuse permission switch again to end the reuse confirmation state, a transition to a period in which play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side may be made. The reuse permission switch may also be configured to allow one option to be selected from multiple options, and may be configured to have an option for starting the reuse confirmation state and an option for transitioning to a period in which play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side.

In the above example, if the number of times the reuse permission switch's operation information is input is stored as "1" at a predetermined judgment timing after power-on (for example, if the reuse permission switch is pressed ON once before or at the same time as the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and the frame decoration member is detached in reuse confirmation state A. However, if the number of times the reuse permission switch's operation information is input is stored as "2 or more" (for example, if the reuse permission switch is pressed ON twice before or at the same time as the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B, and the frame decoration member can be detached in reuse confirmation state B. Here, reuse confirmation state A is a period during which game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side, while reuse confirmation state B is a period during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, in all other respects, reuse confirmation state B behaves the same as the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 in reuse confirmation state A. For example, even if the reuse confirmation state B is entered on the condition that the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information is input is "twice or more" at the time of the determination timing of timing tz1, when a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to confirm the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member.

Figure 91 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame 3 is open in reuse confirmation state B, and then the frame decoration member is attached while the door frame 3 is next open. This section focuses on the differences from reuse confirmation state A.

As shown in FIG. 91, after power is turned on at time ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, the game state on the main control board 1310 side is controlled to the normal state, and a period of time during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side is permitted. Then, at time tz1, when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after power is turned on at time ts, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1. At this determination, the number of times the reuse permission switch was operated between time ts and time tz1 is also determined. Here, by operating the reuse permission switch twice before time tz1, the game transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B at time tz1. Then, reuse confirmation state A is a period during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, when the player operates the handle 160, the game ball can be launched into the play area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be initiated when a starting win occurs, and the jackpot game can be initiated when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, allowing normal play to be played. Note that in reuse confirmation state A, the period during which game play (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side continues until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B. In reuse confirmation state B, the frame decoration member is removed, and then at timing ty, the frame decoration member is reattached, allowing normal operation. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, the frame decoration member is permitted to operate once it is attached. Then, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, and when the frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state B, the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member can be confirmed.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, the machine transitions to reuse confirmation state B. This reuse confirmation state B is a period during which game play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. Therefore, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to check whether game play (main game) is proceeding normally. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to check the operating status of a frame decoration member, which is a reusable part, while detaching it. However, checking whether game play (main game) is proceeding normally can also be done at the same time, without waiting for the machine to return to the normal state from reuse confirmation state B. This improves the efficiency of inspections of the pachinko machine 1, including checking the operating status of multiple frame decoration members.

(Removal and installation of frame decoration member in reuse confirmation state A, part 2)
92 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is detached while the door frame 3 is open in the reuse confirmation state A. First, a case will be described in which the frame decoration member is detached after the normal state transitions to the reuse confirmation state A by operating the reuse permission switch before a predetermined judgment timing. Furthermore, regarding the detachment of the frame decoration member, when checking the operating states of multiple frame decoration members used as reusable parts, it is assumed that after the door frame 3 is opened and a frame decoration member is removed, a different frame decoration member is attached without closing the door frame 3, or the same frame decoration member is attached again for reconfirmation.

As shown in Figure 92, after the power is turned on at time ts, predetermined operations are performed and the frame decoration member is removed in reuse confirmed state A at time tx. During this period, the behavior is the same as the period from when the power is turned on at time ts shown in Figure 90 until the frame decoration member is removed in reuse confirmed state A at time tx. In other words, after the power is turned on at time ts, the reuse permission switch is operated at time tz3, the machine transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmed state A at time tz1, the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmed state A at time t1, and the frame decoration member is removed in reuse confirmed state A at time tx. These are the same operations as those shown in Figure 90, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is the same.

In this example, after the door frame 3 is opened, the frame decoration member is removed at timing tx in reuse confirmation state A. However, after removing the frame decoration member, the door frame 3 is not closed and the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty while the door frame 3 is open. In this way, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty in reuse confirmation state A while the door frame 3 is open, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member has been connected.

If, while the door frame 3 is open, a frame decoration member is attached in the reuse confirmation state A at timing ty, the attachment of the frame decoration member causes the lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) to start receiving electricity, and the lamp A performs normal operation. As described above in detail, during normal operation, when the special symbol variable display is not being executed, the lamp A performs an operation corresponding to a standby effect (e.g., a demo effect) while waiting for the special symbol variable display to begin. When the special symbol variable display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command and performs an operation corresponding to a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command, the lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) lights up or flashes in conjunction with the effect display executed by the effect display device 1600. However, if the frame decoration is installed and a malfunction occurs, such as a disconnection in the wiring to Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) preventing power from being supplied, or if Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) itself breaks down, normal operation will not be performed and the LED will not light up or flash.

It is assumed that the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 does not change before or after timing ty. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are performing normal operations continue to perform normal operations even after timing ty, and components that are performing operations during reuse confirmation continue to perform operations during reuse confirmation even after timing ty.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is not operated before the determination timing of timing tz1, the device remains in the normal state and does not transition to the reuse confirmation state. Even if the frame decoration member is reattached, the light does not light up or flash afterwards and remains off. However, if the reuse permission switch is operated once before the determination timing of timing tz1, the device transitions to reuse confirmation state A, and normal operation is performed by reattaching the frame decoration member. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is permitted to operate upon attachment. Then, the device transitions to reuse confirmation state A on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated once before the determination timing of timing tz1. When a frame decoration member is attached (removed) in reuse confirmation state A, the operating status of the attached (removed) frame decoration member can be confirmed. Furthermore, in this example, even if a frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A at time tx while the door frame 3 is open, and then reattached at time ty while the door frame 3 is open, it is possible to check the operational status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member. In other words, after removing the frame decoration member in the reuse confirmation state A at time tx, it is not necessary to close and reopen the door frame 3 between the time the frame decoration member is removed and the time the frame decoration member is reattached at time ty. In this way, even if a frame decoration member is removed and attached in the reuse confirmation state A while the door frame 3 is open once, it is possible to check the operational status of the detached frame decoration member, thereby improving the efficiency of checking the operational status of multiple frame decoration members.

In addition, in this example, during the period from timing tx to timing ty, i.e., while the frame decoration member is removed to attach or detach it in reuse confirmation state A, the LED of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) does not light up or flash. However, during this period, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but the adjustment is not reflected in the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED). When the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty (described below) and the LED is able to light up or flash, these internally adjusted volume and light intensity are reflected in the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) based on the internally adjusted light intensity. Thus, in this example, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty (described below), the internally adjusted light intensity is not reset to its initial state, but rather the internally adjusted light intensity is reflected as is, making it easy to determine whether the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) of the attached (detached) frame decoration member is changing normally. Regardless of whether the frame decoration member is removed or not, the light intensity of the LED for Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1) is kept constant, and the light intensity does not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Therefore, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity for Lamp A (inside frame decoration LED) of the frame decoration member is changing normally by comparing it with Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1).

Next, after the frame decoration member is attached, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A at timing t2, a signal from the closing switch for detecting the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310, and a door frame closing command for notifying the closure of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate normally even after timing t2, while those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to operate as they did during reuse confirmation even after timing t2. In other words, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame closing command, but the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform their closing operations, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. This prevents the removal and installation of the frame decoration member and confirmation of its operational status from being hindered by the execution of the closing operation when in reuse confirmation state A.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened again, if a different frame decoration member is detached or attached while the door frame 3 is open, the period from timing t1 to timing t2 described above will be repeated. In other words, the door frame 3 is opened at timing t1', a frame decoration member is removed at timing tx', a different frame decoration member is attached at timing ty', and the door frame 3 is closed at timing t2'. In this sense, the same operations are performed as in the period from timing t1 to timing t2 described above, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is the same.

Next, after closing the door frame 3, if the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, reuse confirmation state A ends and the system transitions to the normal state. Here, the normal state is the same as the normal state after the power is turned on at timing ts. In other words, after the main control board 1310 transitions to the normal state at timing tz4, it is possible for the main control board 1310 to continue gameplay (main gameplay) on its side. Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, normal operation is performed after transitioning to the normal state at timing tz4. In this way, in this example, the frame decoration member, which is a reusable part, can be detached, and after the operational status of the frame decoration member has been confirmed, the system can be returned to the normal state from reuse confirmation state A. Therefore, after confirming the operational status of the frame decoration member, it is possible to check whether gameplay (main gameplay) is proceeding normally.

In the above example, if the number of times the reuse permission switch's operation information is input is stored as "1" at a predetermined judgment timing after power-on (for example, if the reuse permission switch is pressed ON once before or at the same time as the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and the frame decoration member is detached in reuse confirmation state A. However, if the number of times the reuse permission switch's operation information is input is stored as "2 or more" (for example, if the reuse permission switch is pressed ON twice before or at the same time as the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B, and the frame decoration member can be detached in reuse confirmation state B. Here, reuse confirmation state A is a period during which game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side, while reuse confirmation state B is a period during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other respects, reuse confirmation state B behaves the same as the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 in reuse confirmation state A. For example, even if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1 to transition to reuse confirmation state B, when a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to confirm the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member.

Figure 93 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is detached while the door frame 3 is open in reuse confirmation state B. This section focuses on the differences from reuse confirmation state A.

As shown in FIG. 93, after power is turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, the game state on the main control board 1310 side is controlled to the normal state, and a period of time during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side is permitted. Then, at timing tz1, a predetermined period of time after power is turned on at timing ts, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before timing tz1. At this determination, the number of times the reuse permission switch was operated between timing ts and timing tz1 is also determined. Here, by operating the reuse permission switch twice before timing tz1, the game transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B at timing tz1. Then, reuse confirmation state B is a period during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, when the player operates the handle 160, the game ball can be launched into the play area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be started when a starting win occurs, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing normal play to be played. Note that in reuse confirmation state B, the period during which game play (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side continues until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end reuse confirmation state B.

Furthermore, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B. In reuse confirmation state B, the frame decoration member is removed, and then at timing ty, the frame decoration member is reattached, allowing normal operation. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, the frame decoration member is permitted to operate once it is attached. Then, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, and when the frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state B, the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member can be confirmed.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, the machine transitions to reuse confirmation state B. This reuse confirmation state B is a period during which game play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. Therefore, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to check whether game play (main game) is proceeding normally. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to check the operating status of a frame decoration member, which is a reusable part, while detaching it. However, checking whether game play (main game) is proceeding normally can also be done at the same time, without waiting for the machine to return to the normal state from reuse confirmation state B. This improves the efficiency of inspections of the pachinko machine 1, including checking the operating status of multiple frame decoration members.

(Attaching the frame decoration member when the frame decoration member is not connected at the time of determination)
Figure 94 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is attached after determining that the frame decoration member is not connected at the predetermined timing. In the above example, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the predetermined timing and the frame decoration member is determined to be connected at the predetermined timing, the machine transitions from the normal state to the reuse confirmation state A. When the frame decoration member is attached (detached) in the reuse confirmation state A, the operational status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member can be confirmed. On the other hand, even if the reuse permission switch is operated before the predetermined timing, if the frame decoration member is determined to be not connected at the predetermined timing, the machine does not transition from the normal state to the reuse confirmation state A. Even if the frame decoration member is subsequently attached, the LED does not light up or flash, preventing confirmation of the operational status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member. A specific example of this is described below.

As shown in Figure 94, after power is first turned on at timing ts, the behavior is approximately the same as when power is turned on at timing ts shown in Figure 89. For example, after power is turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, the game state on the main control board 1310 side is controlled to the normal state, and a period is set in which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the normal state after power is turned on, when the player operates the handle 160, game balls can be launched into the game area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be initiated when a starting win occurs, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays the winning symbol, jackpot game can be initiated, allowing normal game play to be performed. The peripheral control board 1510 also monitors whether it is electrically connected to the performance operation unit 250 and other frame decoration components such as the performance operation unit 250, but after power is turned on at time ts, it determines that the frame decoration component is not connected until time tx, which will be described later, arrives. In other words, since the frame decoration component is not connected to Lamp A (the LED within the frame decoration), the LED does not light up or flash. Furthermore, components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 perform their normal operation after power is turned on at time ts.

Then, at time tz1, a predetermined period after power-on at time ts, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1. At this determination, a determination is also made as to whether the frame decoration member is not connected. If the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1 and it is determined at the determination that the frame decoration member is connected, the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A. However, if it is determined at the determination that the frame decoration member is not connected, the system does not transition from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and the system continues to remain in the normal state. Note that in the normal state, regardless of whether the frame decoration member is not connected at time tz1, etc., the period during which gameplay (main gameplay) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side continues.

Furthermore, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame decoration members are not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some of the members it has instructed to operate to perform the operation required when reuse confirmation is not activated. Specifically, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame decoration members are not connected, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Operation confirmation of frame decoration members cannot be performed" as a display for when reuse confirmation is not activated, and outputs the sound "Operation confirmation of frame decoration members cannot be performed" from the speaker as a sound indicating that reuse confirmation is not activated. Meanwhile, among the members it has instructed to operate, Lamp A (inside frame decoration LED), Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1), and Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2) continue to operate normally without performing the operation required when reuse confirmation is not activated. Thus, after it is determined at time tz1 that the frame decoration member is not connected, only some of the members instructed by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing the operation required when reuse confirmation is not activated. However, since the determination that the frame decoration member is not connected at time tz1 is due to the operator operating the reuse permission switch and does not need to be easily recognized externally, lamp A (inside frame decoration LED), lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1), and lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2) do not perform the operation required when reuse confirmation is not activated. Furthermore, this operation required when reuse confirmation is not activated continues regardless of whether a frame decoration member is attached or whether the door frame 3 is opened or closed after it is determined that the frame decoration member is not connected at time tz1.

Furthermore, after determining at timing tz1 that a frame decoration member is not connected, some of the members instructed by the peripheral control board 1510 are still performing operations when reuse confirmation is not in progress. However, for such members, the light intensity of LEDs and other components is kept constant, and the volume from the speaker is kept constant. Therefore, for components performing operations when reuse confirmation is not in progress, the volume and light intensity do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but the adjustment is not reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. Meanwhile, for Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2), which is a component performing normal operations even after determining at timing tz1 that a frame decoration member is not connected, the light intensity of the LED is changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204, but for Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1), the light intensity of the LED is kept constant, and the light intensity does not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. In this way, in this example, because a component that keeps the LED light output constant is provided, it is easy to determine whether the light output is changing compared to a component that does not keep the LED light output constant. Note that the performance display device 1600 may also be configured to change the light output when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, after it is determined at timing tz1 that the frame decoration member is not connected, the external terminal board does not output a reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer.

Next, if the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state at timing t1, a signal from the opening switch for detecting the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310, and a door frame open command for notifying the peripheral control board 1510 that the door frame 3 has been opened is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate in their normal state even after timing t1, while those performing operations when reuse confirmation is not activated continue to operate in their normal state even after timing t1. In other words, if the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state after determining that the frame decoration component is not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command, but the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform their opening operations, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. This prevents the execution of opening operations from interfering with confirmation of whether the game (main game) is proceeding normally in the normal state after it is determined that the frame decoration member is not connected.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is opened under normal conditions at time t1, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal stops being output to the hall computer a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) after the door frame 3 is closed at time t2, which will be described later. This makes it easier for the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time of the door frame 3 is short.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if a frame decoration member is attached in the normal state at timing ty, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member has been connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing ty. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are performing normal operations continue to perform normal operations even after timing ty, and components that are performing operations when reuse confirmation is not activated continue to perform operations when reuse confirmation is not activated even after timing ty.

Furthermore, if a frame decoration member is attached in a normal state at timing ty, Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) will not light up or flash after the frame decoration member is attached, but will remain off. This allows evidence that the frame decoration member was not connected to be left behind, even if the frame decoration member is attached in a normal state after it has been determined that the frame decoration member is not connected, preventing fraudulent activity through the attachment and removal of the frame decoration member. Furthermore, if Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) were to light up or flash after the frame decoration member is attached, this could potentially hinder an operator's ability to confirm whether gameplay (main game) is proceeding normally. In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the determination timing of timing tz1 and the frame decoration member is determined to be not connected at that time, Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) will not light up or flash even if the frame decoration member is subsequently attached, preventing such confirmation from being hindered. On the other hand, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the judgment timing of tz1 and the frame decoration member is connected at that judgment timing, when the frame decoration member is subsequently attached, Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) will light up or flash. This allows the operator to choose at the judgment timing whether they want to check the operating status of the frame decoration member as a reusable part, or whether they just want to check whether gameplay (main game) is progressing normally.

Next, after the frame decoration member is attached, if the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state at time t2, a signal from the closing switch for detecting the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310, and a door frame closing command for notifying the closure of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time t2. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate in their normal state even after time t2, while those performing operations when reuse confirmation is not activated continue to operate in their normal state even after time t2. In other words, if the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state after determining that the frame decoration member is not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame closing command, but the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not execute their closing operations, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time t2. This prevents the execution of the closing operation from interfering with confirmation of whether the game (main game) is proceeding normally in the normal state after it is determined that the frame decoration member is not connected.

Next, if the door frame 3 is opened again at timing t3 in the normal state to remove the frame decoration member, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state at timing t1. In other words, if the door frame 3 is opened again while the frame decoration member is attached, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 will not perform the opening operation and will not change before or after timing t3. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations will continue to perform normal operations even after timing t3, and those performing operations when reuse confirmation is not activated will continue to perform operations when reuse confirmation is not activated even after timing t3.

Next, if the frame decoration member is removed again in the normal state at timing tx after the door frame 3 is opened, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing tx. In other words, if the frame decoration member is removed again after the door frame 3 is opened, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 will not perform the operation that would occur if the frame decoration were not connected, and will remain unchanged before and after timing tx. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations will continue to perform normal operations even after timing tx, and those performing operations when reuse confirmation is not in operation will continue to perform the operation when reuse confirmation is not in operation even after timing tx.

The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 does not change before or after timing tx, but as for Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration), since the frame decoration member has been removed, the LED will no longer light up or flash after that.

Next, when the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state at timing t4 after the frame decoration member is removed, it behaves in approximately the same way as when the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state at timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed after the frame decoration member is removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not execute their closing operations and do not change before or after timing t4. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate in their normal state even after timing t4, and those performing operations when reuse confirmation has not yet been performed continue to operate when reuse confirmation has not yet been performed even after timing t4.

In this example, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame decoration member is not connected, some of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are used to perform the operation that would have been performed if the reuse check had not been activated. However, such operation that would have been performed if the reuse check had not been activated continues regardless of whether a frame decoration member is subsequently attached or whether the door frame 3 is opened or closed. This leaves evidence that the frame decoration member was not connected, even if a frame decoration member is attached after determining at timing tz1 that the frame decoration member is not connected, preventing fraudulent activity involving the attachment or removal of a frame decoration member. Additionally, as previously explained, if the reuse permission switch is determined not to have been operated at timing tz1 when a frame decoration member is connected, and the frame decoration member is subsequently removed, the peripheral control board 1510 would execute the operation it would have performed when the frame decoration was not connected for the components it instructed to operate. However, in this example, if the reuse permission switch is determined to have been operated at timing tz1 when a frame decoration member is not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 would not execute the operation it would have performed when the frame decoration was not connected, even if the frame decoration member was subsequently removed. This prevents the normal state after it is determined that the frame decoration member is not connected from being hindered by the execution of the operation it would have performed when the frame decoration was not connected. Furthermore, in this example, the operation it performs when the reuse confirmation is not activated is intended to communicate that it is not possible to check the operation of the frame decoration member. This is different from the operation it performs when the frame decoration is not connected, as previously explained, but these operations may be common.

(Confirmation of error light emission when a frame decoration member is detached in reuse confirmation state A)
Figure 95 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame 3 is open in an error state and reuse confirmation state A, and then the frame decoration member is attached while the door frame 3 is next open. In the above example, if the reuse permission switch is operated before a predetermined determination timing, the machine transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A. When a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state A, the operational status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member can be confirmed. On the other hand, if an abnormality is detected in the pachinko machine 1, such as detection of magnetism, vibration, or radio waves, the machine transitions to an error state. In such an error state, the LED of the frame decoration member emits an error light. However, to confirm the operational status of the frame decoration member, it is also necessary to check whether the LED of the frame decoration member emits an error light normally. In this regard, in this example, if the reuse confirmation state A and the error state occur at the same time, when a frame decorative member is attached (detached) in that state, it is possible to confirm that the LED of the attached (detached) frame decorative member emits an error light. A specific example of such a case will be described below.

In this example, the error detection unit is configured to detect magnetism using a magnetic sensor that detects magnetism applied to the pachinko machine 1 by bringing a magnet close to the pachinko machine 1, to detect vibrations using a vibration sensor that detects vibrations applied to the pachinko machine 1 by shaking or hitting the pachinko machine 1, and to detect radio waves using a radio wave sensor that detects radio waves applied to the pachinko machine 1 by irradiating it with illegal radio waves. After the main control board 1310 is powered on at timing ts, it monitors whether it is detecting magnetism, vibrations, or radio waves applied to the pachinko machine 1.

As shown in Figure 95, after power is first turned on at timing ts, the device behaves in the same way as when power is turned on at timing ts shown in Figure 89. For example, after power is turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510, the game state on the main control board 1310 side is controlled to the normal state, and a period is set in which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the normal state after power is turned on, when the player operates the handle 160, game balls can be launched into the game area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be initiated when a starting win occurs, and the jackpot game can be initiated when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays the winning symbol. The peripheral control board 1510 also monitors whether or not it is electrically connected to frame decoration components such as the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250. After power is turned on at time ts, it determines that the frame decoration components have not been removed and are still connected by the time the timing tx described below arrives. Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, normal operation is performed after power is turned on at time ts.

After power is turned on at time ts, when signals from the magnetic sensor for detecting magnetism, the vibration sensor for detecting vibration, and the radio wave sensor for detecting radio waves are input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310 at time t0, the main control board 1310 detects an abnormality in the magnetism, vibration, or radio waves, and outputs an abnormality notification command to the peripheral control board 1510 to notify the execution of an abnormality notification based on the occurrence of the abnormality. After power is turned on at time ts, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing their normal operations, but at time t0, an error state occurs based on the peripheral control board 1510 receiving the abnormality notification command. In the error state, the peripheral control board 1510 does not perform its normal operations, but instead performs its error operations. Furthermore, even after sending the abnormality notification command to the peripheral control board 1510 at timing t0, the main control board 1310 controls the game state to the normal state, just as if no abnormality had occurred, and this is the period during which it is possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side.

Specifically, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives an abnormality notification command, Lamp A (inside the frame LED) and Lamp B (outside the frame LED 2) light up or flash in a single color with high brightness as an error light, and the performance display device 1600 displays an error message such as "A magnetic error has occurred," "A vibration error has occurred," or "A radio wave error has occurred," and the speaker outputs an error sound such as "A magnetic error has occurred," "A vibration error has occurred," or "A radio wave error has occurred." In this example, different actions are taken in response to the abnormality notification, for example, different message displays, LED light colors, and alarm sounds, depending on whether magnetism, vibration, or radio waves have been detected, making it possible to determine whether magnetism, vibration, or radio waves have been detected. However, among the components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, Lamp B (outside the frame LED 1) continues to operate normally without executing the error action.

Furthermore, if an abnormality is detected at timing t0, the components instructed by the peripheral control board 1510 to operate will perform the error operation, with the exception of lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1). During this error operation, the light intensity of LEDs and the like will be constant, and the volume from the speaker will be constant. For this reason, for components performing an error operation, the volume and light intensity will not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. When normal operation is restored, this internally adjusted volume and light intensity will be reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed based on the internally adjusted volume and light intensity. Note that for the performance display device 1600, the light intensity may change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, if an abnormality is detected at timing t0, the external terminal board outputs an error signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that an abnormality has been detected.

Next, after the power is turned on at time ts, a predetermined period of time elapses, and at time tz1, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1. In other words, the determination determines whether the reuse permission switch was operated between time ts and time tz1. Here, by operating the reuse permission switch at time tx3, which is before time tz1, the machine transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A at time tz1. After transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at time tz1, the main control board 1310 is in a period during which it is unable to continue gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, even if the player operates the handle 160, it is impossible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a. Even if a starting win occurs, the display of the special symbol cannot be initiated, and normal gameplay is unavailable. This prevents normal gameplay from interfering with the removal and attachment of frame decoration members or the confirmation of their operational status in reuse confirmation state A. In reuse confirmation state A, a period of time during which gameplay (main gameplay) cannot be progressed on the main control board 1310 side continues until reuse confirmation state A is ended by operating the reuse permission switch again at timing tz4, described below.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, some of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are used to perform the operations required for reuse confirmation. Specifically, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "You can now check the operation of the frame decoration components" in addition to the error message as a display for reuse confirmation. The speaker outputs the sound "You can now check the operation of the frame decoration components" as a reuse confirmation sound. Meanwhile, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration), lamp B (LED 2 outside the frame decoration), and speaker continue to operate in the event of an error. Furthermore, these operations required for reuse confirmation continue until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, described below, to end reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, after the transition to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, a reuse confirmation signal is output from the external terminal board to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the transition to reuse confirmation state A has occurred. Output of this reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer is terminated when the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, described below, to end reuse confirmation state A. Note that output of the reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer may also be terminated when a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed after end of reuse confirmation state A. This makes it easier for the hall to notice that the transition to reuse confirmation state A has occurred, even if the transition period to reuse confirmation state A is short.

Next, at timing t1, when door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A, a signal from the opening switch to detect the opening of door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU of main control board 1310, and a door frame open command to notify the peripheral control board 1510 that door frame 3 has been opened is output. The behavior of pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. For example, among the components instructed to operate by peripheral control board 1510, components that are executing operations in the event of an error continue to operate in the event of an error even after timing t1, and components that are executing operations during reuse confirmation continue to operate as they did during reuse confirmation even after timing t1. In other words, when door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A, although peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command, components instructed to operate by peripheral control board 1510 do not execute their opening operations, and the behavior of pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. This prevents the removal and installation of frame decoration members and confirmation of their operational status from being hindered by the opening operation being performed in reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A at time t1, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal stops being output to the hall computer a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) after the door frame 3 is closed at time t2, which will be described later. This makes it easier for the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time of the door frame 3 is short.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A at time tx, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time tx. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing the operation in the event of an error continue to perform the operation in the event of an error even after time tx, while those performing the operation during reuse confirmation continue to perform the operation during reuse confirmation even after time tx. Furthermore, if the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, although the frame decoration member has been removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform the operation required for a frame decoration not to be connected, and the behavior is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time t1. In other words, in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member can be removed without performing the operation required for a frame decoration not to be connected. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame decoration components and confirmation of the frame decoration component's operating status from being hindered by operations that are performed when the frame decoration is not connected, when reuse confirmation state A is in effect.

The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 does not change before or after timing tx, but as for Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration), since the frame decoration member has been removed, the LED no longer lights up or flashes after that.

Next, after removing the frame decoration member, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A at timing t2, a signal from the closing switch to detect the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310, and a door frame closing command to notify the peripheral control board 1510 that the door frame 3 is closed is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing the operation in the event of an error continue to perform the operation in the event of an error even after timing t2, while those performing the operation during reuse confirmation continue to perform the operation during reuse confirmation even after timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A, although the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame closing command, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform the closing operation, and so the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. This prevents the removal and installation of the frame decoration member and confirmation of its operational status from being hindered by the execution of the closing operation when in reuse confirmation state A.

Next, when the door frame 3 is opened again at timing t3 in reuse confirmation state A to attach the frame decoration member, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A at timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened again while the frame decoration member is being removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform the opening operation, and no change occurs before or after timing t3. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are performing an operation in the event of an error continue to perform the operation in the event of an error even after timing t3, and components that are performing an operation during reuse confirmation continue to perform the operation during reuse confirmation even after timing t3.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if the frame decoration member is attached again at timing ty in reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member has been connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing ty. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are performing operations in the event of an error continue to perform the operation in the event of an error even after timing ty, and components that are performing operations during reuse confirmation continue to perform the operation during reuse confirmation even after timing ty.

Furthermore, if a frame decoration member is attached in reuse confirmation state A at timing ty, the installation of the frame decoration member will cause Lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) to begin receiving electricity, but this operation will not be its normal operation, but will instead be its error operation. As explained in detail above, the error operation for Lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) is to light up or flash in a single color with high brightness as an error light. However, if a malfunction occurs when the frame decoration member is attached, such as if the wiring to Lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) is broken and no electricity is supplied, or if Lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) itself has failed, the error operation will not be executed and the LED will not light up or flash.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the determination timing of timing tz1, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state A. If the frame decoration member emits an error light in reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is removed and then reattached at timing ty to resume operation in the event of an error. In other words, reuse confirmation state A allows for the frame decoration member to be attached so that operation in the event of an error can be resumed. Then, on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated before the determination timing of timing tz1, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state A. When a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state A, it is possible to check whether the attached (detached) frame decoration member emits an error light normally.

Next, when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t4 after the frame decoration member is attached, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed after the frame decoration member is attached, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not execute their closing operations, and no change occurs before or after timing t4. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are executing operations in the event of an error continue to execute their error operations even after timing t4, and components that are executing operations during reuse confirmation continue to execute their reuse confirmation operations even after timing t4.

Next, after closing the door frame 3, if the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, reuse confirmation state A ends and the system transitions to the normal state. Here, the normal state is the same as the normal state before transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing t1. In other words, after transitioning to the normal state at timing tz4, the main control board 1310 is able to continue gameplay (main gameplay) on its side. Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, after transitioning to the normal state at timing tz4, an error operation based on an error state is executed. In this way, in this example, the frame decoration member, which is a reusable component, can be detached, and after confirmation of the frame decoration member's operating status is completed, the system can be returned to the normal state from reuse confirmation state A. Therefore, after checking the frame decoration member's operating status, it is possible to check whether gameplay (main gameplay) is proceeding normally.

In this example, after the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, causing Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform its error operation. However, it is also possible to configure Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform its error operation by not performing the error operation when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, but by operating the operation permission switch after the frame decoration member is reattached. The operation permission switch is located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and is provided on the main control board 1310 as a control unit for operation that cannot be accessed by the player (such as a button that can switch between the ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between the ON and OFF states by inserting a key). Furthermore, between the time the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty and the time the operation permission switch is operated, Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) is in its standby state, for example, with the LED lit or extinguished. This allows the hall manager to check the operating status of the frame decoration members at will by operating the operation permission switch, improving convenience.

The above-mentioned operation permission switch is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also serve as the operation permission switch. In other words, if the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, the error operation may not be performed, but by operating the reuse permission switch after the frame decoration member is attached, Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) may perform the error operation. The reuse permission switch may also be configured to allow the user to select one option from multiple options, and may be configured to have an option for starting the reuse confirmation state and an option for Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform the error operation.

In addition, in this example, after the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty while the door frame 3 is open, causing lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) to perform the error operation. However, if the frame decoration member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty, the error operation may not be performed, and lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) may be configured to perform the error operation by closing the open door frame 3 at timing t2. In this case, from the time the frame decoration member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty until the open door frame 3 is closed, lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) is in standby mode, for example, with the LED lit or extinguished. This allows the hall manager to optionally start checking the operating status of the frame decoration member by closing the door frame 3, improving convenience.

In this example, the period before the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end the reuse confirmation state is set as a period during which game (main game) cannot be progressed on the main control board 1310 side, and when the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end the reuse confirmation state is set as a period during which game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side. However, even before the reuse permission switch is operated again to end the reuse confirmation state, the period during which game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side may be entered by operating the game permission switch. The game permission switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 as a work operation unit (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that is inaccessible to the player and is provided on the main control board 1310. As a result, during the period when the game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side, operating the handle 160 allows the launch of game balls into the game area 5a, and when a starting win occurs, a lottery can be held to start the variable display of special symbols, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin. Therefore, the hall manager can check whether the game (main game) is progressing normally by operating the game permission switch at will, thereby improving convenience.

The above-mentioned play permission switch is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also serve as the play permission switch. In other words, by operating the reuse permission switch at a timing before operating the reuse permission switch again to end the reuse confirmation state, a transition to a period in which play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side may be made. The reuse permission switch may also be configured to allow one option to be selected from multiple options, and may be configured to have an option for starting the reuse confirmation state and an option for transitioning to a period in which play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side.

[8. Overall configuration of the game board]
The overall configuration of the game board 5 in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 96 to 102. Figure 96 is a front view of the game board, with the transparent center gadget and other features rendered opaque. Figure 97 is a perspective view of the game board in Figure 96 as seen from the right front, Figure 98 is a perspective view of the game board in Figure 96 as seen from the left front, and Figure 99 is a perspective view of the game board in Figure 96 as seen from the rear. Figure 100 is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components as seen from the front, and Figure 101 is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components as seen from the rear. Figure 102 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.

The game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 has a game area 5a into which a game ball B is shot by the player operating the handle 160. The game area 5a is equipped with a general prize opening 2001, a regular prize opening 2002, a first start opening 2003, a second start opening 2004, a large prize opening 2005, a special prize opening 2006, and a second V prize opening 2008, which grant the player a predetermined benefit (e.g., an addition of a predetermined number of balls to the player's possession) when a game ball B is accepted or passes through them. This game board 5 is designed for entertaining players by operating the handle 160 and circulating game balls B within the game area 5a so that game balls B can be accepted by the general prize opening 2001, regular prize opening 2002, first start opening 2003, second start opening 2004, big prize opening 2005, and special prize opening 2006 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 111) that detect illicit magnetic fields within the play area 5a; and a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 111, etc.) that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1). A number of obstacle nails 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 board holder 1200 attached to the lower rear of the game panel 1100, and a main control unit 1300 attached to the rear of the board holder 1200 and having a main control board 1310 (see Figure 111, 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 (three 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 regular winning opening 2002 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open and can receive game balls B, a first starting opening 2003 that is located in the center in the left-right direction below the center device 2500 and is always open and can receive game balls B, and a lottery is held when game balls B are received by the regular winning opening 2002. The game board 5 is equipped with a second starting opening 2004 that can accept game ball B depending on the result of a lottery for a normal symbol that is drawn when game ball B is received at the first starting opening 2003, a large prize opening 2005 or a special prize opening 2006 that can accept game ball B depending on the result of a lottery for a first special symbol that is drawn when game ball B is received at the first starting opening 2003 or a second special symbol that is drawn when game ball B is received at the second starting opening 2004, and a first V prize opening 2007 and a second V prize opening 2008 that can accept game ball B received at the special prize opening 2006. The game board 5 also has multiple magnetic sensors 1030 (see FIG. 111) that detect magnetic fields that act illicitly within the game 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 two sub-outlets 2021, which are located upstream of the outlet 2020 within the play area 5a and are always open to receive game balls B, and which discharge received game balls B outside the play area 5a without returning them. Two outlets 2020 are provided on the left and right, with the first start port 2003 in between. The two sub-outlets 2021 are located to the left of the center of the play area 5a in the left-right direction, and to the right of the center of the play area 5a in the left-right direction, respectively.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 is comprised of a start port unit 2100, which is attached directly above the bottom end of the play area 5a in the center of the left-right direction within the play area 5a and has a first start port 2003 and an outlet port 2020; a side unit 2200, which is provided along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the start port unit 2100 when viewed from the front, and has three general winning ports 2001 and one sub-outlet port 2021; and an upper left side unit 2300, which is provided slightly above the left side of the side unit 2200 when viewed from the front. The system is equipped with an attacca unit 2400, which is located to the right of the start opening unit 2100 and has a second start opening 2004, a large prize opening 2005, and one sub-out opening 2021; a frame-shaped center device 2500, which is located slightly above the center of the game area 5a when viewed from the front, and has a device winning opening 2006, a first V winning opening 2007, and a second V winning opening 2008; and a regular winning opening unit 2600, which is located above the right end of the attacca unit 2400 and has a regular winning opening 2002.

The center device 2500 comprises a frame-shaped main unit 2510 having a device winning slot 2006 and a first V winning slot 2007, and a lottery device 2550 located at the bottom within the frame of the main unit 2510 and having a second V winning slot 2008.

The rear unit 3000 includes multiple magnetic sensors 1030 that detect illicit magnetic fields within the play area 5a, a vibration sensor 1040 that detects vibrations acting on the play board 5 (pachinko machine 1), a rear box 3010 that is attached to the rear surface of the panel holder 1120 of the play 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, 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 decoration unit 3200, which is located behind the rear ball guide unit 3100 within the rear box 3010; a rear front performance unit 3300, which is located to the left and above the rear ball guide unit 3100 near the front end within the rear box 3010; and a rear rear performance unit 3400, which is located behind the rear front performance unit 3300 within the rear box 3010.

[8-1. Front components]
The front component 1000 of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 100 and 101. The front component 1000 is formed entirely transparent. The front component 1000 has an approximately square outer shape in a front view and an approximately circular inner shape that penetrates in the front-to-rear 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 clockwise from the lower end toward the left of the center in the front view, passing the upper end of the center in the front view to the upper right; 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.

Furthermore, the component 1000 is provided with security recesses 1009 recessed rearward from the front end at the outside of the portions extending approximately perpendicularly from the lower ends of the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002, the underside of the out guide portion 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, a rear projection (not shown) protruding rearward from the security cover (not shown) on the door frame 3 is inserted into this security recess 1009. As a result, the area between the security cover and the game board 5 (front component 1000) is bent in a complex manner by the rear protrusion of the security cover 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 and the front component 1000 from below the front of the game board 5, the attempt will be blocked by the rear protrusion 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 edge in the lower left corner when viewed from the front. This notch 1010 coincides with the notch 1122 in the gaming panel 1100. When the component 1000 is attached to the main frame of a pachinko machine that dispenses gaming balls to players, this notch 1010 passes through the notch 1010 and the notch 1122 to allow the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage and the lower full payout passage of the lower full ball passage unit to face forward, thereby supplying gaming balls to the upper and lower trays of the door frame.

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 right 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.

[8-2. Game Panel]
The game panel 1100 of the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 100 and 101. 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 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 approximately 20 mm thickness of a wooden gaming panel, and the minimum thickness required is approximately 10 mm, which is sufficient to support the installation of obstacle nails on the front surface and the attachment of the front unit 2000. In this embodiment, the panel board 1110 is formed from a transparent synthetic resin board.

The panel plate 1110 is at its lowest position within the play area 5a, and the position corresponding to the outlet 1008 of the previous component 1000 is recessed upward from the bottom end. In other words, in this embodiment, the outlet 1008 of the panel plate 1110 is not hole-shaped, but rather formed as a notch that opens downward on the panel plate 1110. The outlet 1008 may also be formed as a hole. The panel plate 1110 also has multiple openings 1112 that penetrate from front to back and are used to attach the front unit 2000. In this embodiment, the openings 1112 are hole-shaped, but they may also be formed as notches that open outward from the outer periphery of the panel plate 1110.

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 38 mm in this embodiment, the same thickness as a wooden gaming panel). This is to allow both wooden gaming panels and transparent synthetic resin gaming panels 1100 to be attached to the main frame 4 of the same pachinko machine 1 (gaming machine) and used for play.

The panel holder 1120 is made of a transparent synthetic resin (for example, a thermoplastic synthetic resin). The panel holder 1120 has a holding step (not shown) that is recessed from the front side toward the rear side and is approximately the same size as the panel board 1110, and a through hole 1121 that penetrates the holding step in the front-to-rear direction and is approximately the same size as the play area 5a.

The panel holder 1120 also has a notch 1122 cut upward from the bottom edge 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. When attached to the main frame of a pachinko machine that pays out game balls to players, this notch 1122 passes through the notch 1010 and the notch 1122 to allow the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage and lower full payout passage of the lower full ball passage unit to face forward, allowing game balls to be supplied to the upper and lower trays of the door frame.

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.

[8-3. Substrate holder]
The board holder 1200 in the gaming board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 100 and 101. 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 in the left-right direction of 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 to the pachinko machine 1, the discharge section 1201 is located directly above the out ball receiving port 600a and the safe ball receiving port 600b in the circulating ball path unit 600 of the main body frame 4. As a result, game balls B discharged to the rear of the game panel 1100 through the out port 2020 or sub-out port 2021 are discharged to the out ball receiving port 600a in the circulating ball path unit 600, and by being received in the out ball receiving port 600a, they flow through the out ball passage 601 and are detected (counted) one by one by the out ball sensor 605. On the other hand, game balls B that are received in prize ports such as the general prize port 2001, normal prize port 2002, first start port 2003, second start port 2004, large prize port 2005, and special prize port 2006 and discharged downward from the front unit 2000 and rear unit 3000 are discharged to the safe ball receiving port 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600, and by being received in the safe ball receiving port 600b, they flow through the safe ball passage 602 and are detected (counted) one by one by the safe ball sensor 606.

[8-4. Main control board unit]
The main control unit 1300 in the game board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 99 to 101. 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 111) that controls the game content and the granting of benefits to players, 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 board base 1330 that is attached to the board holder 1200 and has the main control board 1310 attached to its rear surface, and a board cover 1340 that is attached to the board base 1330 so as to cover the main control board 1310 from behind. The board base 1330 and board cover 1340 are made of transparent polycarbonate. The main control board 1310 is housed in the internal space formed by the board base 1330 and board cover 1340. Because the board base 1330 and board cover 1340 are made of transparent polycarbonate, the condition of the front and back sides of the main control board 1310 (whether or not tampering has occurred or whether or not an unauthorized IC is installed) can be confirmed from the outside of the main control board box 1320.

The main control board box 1320 is also equipped with multiple sealing mechanisms 1350, one for each of the board base 1330 and board cover 1340. When the main control board box 1320 is closed using one sealing mechanism 1350, that sealing mechanism 1350 must be destroyed in order to open the main control board box 1320 again, leaving traces of the opening and closing of the main control board box 1320. Therefore, by examining the traces of opening and closing, unauthorized opening and closing of the main control board box 1320 can be detected, providing an enhanced 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 760, the out ball sensor 605, the peripheral control board 1510, etc. The main control board 1310 is also connected to the function display unit 1400, general prize opening sensor 3001, regular prize opening sensor 3002, first start opening sensor 2101, second start opening sensor 2401, large prize opening sensor 2402, special prize opening sensor 2501, first V prize opening sensor 2502, second V prize opening sensor 2503, losing opening sensor 2504, start opening solenoid 2412, attacca solenoid 2414, special prize opening solenoid 2516, first distribution solenoid 2534, second distribution solenoid 2544, lottery loop solenoid 2558, striking piece drive motor 2561, gutter swing drive motor 2564, swing piece solenoid 2565, magnetic sensor 1030, vibration sensor 1040, etc.

The main control board 1310 also has a base monitor 1311 consisting of four 7-segment LEDs (see Figure 111). The base monitor can be seen from behind through the transparent board cover 1340. This base monitor 1311 displays the number of game balls B launched by the ball launching unit 550 that are shot into the game area 5a, ejected downward from the game board 5, and counted by being detected by the out ball sensor 605 provided in the circulation ball path unit 600 of the main frame 4. In this embodiment, the base monitor 1311 displays the number of balls (balls that returned to the game hall) counted by the out ball sensor 605 after 100 balls are launched, as a percentage.

[8-5. Function display unit]
The function display unit 1400 on the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 96 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 game window 101 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 normal winning port 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 normal winning port 2002.

The function display unit 1400 also includes a first special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the drawing for the first special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the first starting port 2003, a first special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving game ball B into the first starting port 2003, a second special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the drawing for the second special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the second starting port 2004, and a second special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving game ball B into the second starting port 2004.

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 large prize opening 2005 is repeated when the lottery result for the first special pattern or the lottery result for the second special pattern is a "win," etc.

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.

[8-6. Peripheral Control Unit]
The peripheral control unit 1500 in the gaming board 5 will be described mainly with reference to FIG. 99 and other figures. The peripheral control unit 1500 is provided behind the effect display device 1600, which is provided on the rear side of the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000. More specifically, the peripheral control unit 1500 is attached to the rear surface of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, which attaches the effect display device 1600 to the rear surface of the rear box 3010. The peripheral control unit 1500 includes a peripheral control board 1510 (see FIG. 111) that controls the effects presented to the player based on control signals from the main control board 1310, and a peripheral control board box 1520 that houses the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control unit 1511 for controlling light-emitting 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 250, various decorative boards on the door frame 3 side, the performance display device 1600, etc. (See Figure 111). The peripheral control unit 1500 is attached to the rear of the performance display device 1600, details of which will be described later.

[8-7. Performance display device]
The effect display device 1600 on the gaming board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 100 and 101. 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 attached to the front of a liquid crystal spacer 1610 that is attached to the rear wall of the rear box 3010. Because the liquid crystal spacer 1610 is detachable from the rear box 3010, the effect display device 1600 can be attached and detached from the rear box 3010 via the liquid crystal spacer 1610. 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 15-inch full-color LCD display device with a white LED backlight, and is attached in a landscape orientation to the front of the LCD spacer 1610. 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 is mounted offset (eccentric) so that its center is located lower and right of the center of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, creating space above and to the left of the liquid crystal spacer 1610.

The liquid crystal spacer 1610 is formed in the shape of a transparent flat plate and is the same size as a 19-inch liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal spacer 1610 has two upper fixing pieces 1611 protruding upward from the top surface and one lower fixing piece 1612 protruding downward from the bottom surface. With the LCD screen of the performance display device 1600 facing forward, the liquid crystal spacer 1610 is attached to the rear box 3010 by inserting the two upper fixing pieces 1611 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). The lower fixing piece 1612 is then moved forward to insert the lower fixing piece 1612 into the opening of the lock slider 3020, and sliding the lock slider 3020 to the left when viewed from behind.

[8-8. 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 100 and 101. 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 (three 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 regular winning opening 2002 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, a first starting opening 2003 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, and a regular symbol that is drawn when game balls B are received by the regular winning opening 2002. a second starting opening 2004 that can accept game ball B depending on the result of the lottery; a large prize opening 2005 and a special prize opening 2006 that can accept game ball B depending on the first special symbol drawn by receiving game ball B into the first starting opening 2003 or the second special symbol drawn by receiving game ball B into the second starting opening 2004; and a first V prize opening 2007 and a second V prize opening 2008 that can accept game ball B received into the special prize opening 2006.

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 first start opening sensor 2101 that detects a game ball B received in the first start opening 2003, a second start opening sensor 2401 that detects a game ball B received in the second start opening 2004, a large prize opening sensor 2402 that detects a game ball B received in the large prize opening 2005, a first V prize opening sensor 2502 that detects a game ball B received in the first V prize opening 2007, a second V prize opening sensor 2503 that detects a game ball B received in the second V prize opening 2008, a loss opening sensor 2504 that detects a game ball B received in the loss opening 2009, and a magnetic sensor 1030 that detects any illegal magnetism acting within the game area 5a.

Multiple (here, three) general winning openings 2001 are located to the left of the horizontal center at the bottom of the play area 5a. The regular winning opening 2002 is located below the vertical center near the right edge of the play area 5a when viewed from the front. The first starting opening 2003 is located between the two exit openings 2020 in the horizontal center of the play area 5a. The second starting opening 2004 is located below the regular winning opening 2002 near the right edge of the play area 5a. The large winning opening 2005 is located to the right of the first starting opening 2003 in the play area 5a. The special winning opening 2006 is located above the regular winning opening 2002 near the right edge of the play area 5a.

The outlets 2020 are located at the downstream end of the gaming area 5a, below both the left and right sides of the first starting outlet 2003. One of the sub-outlets 2021 is located to the left of the three general winning outlets 2001, and the remaining one is located below the second starting outlet 2004.

The front unit 2000 comprises a start port unit 2100 which is attached to the left-right center of the play area 5a directly above the bottom end of the play area 5a and has a first 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 one sub-outlet port 2021; 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 also includes an attacca unit 2400 located to the right of the start opening unit 2100 and having a second start opening 2004, a large prize opening 2005, and one sub-out opening 2021; a frame-shaped center role device 2500 located slightly above the center of the game area 5a when viewed from the front and having a role device winning opening 2006, a first V prize opening 2007, a second V prize opening 2008, and a losing opening 2009; and a regular prize opening unit 2600 located above the attacca unit 2400 and having a regular prize opening 2002.

[8-8a. Starting port unit]
Next, the start opening unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 96 to 98 and Figure 102. The start opening 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 opening unit 2100 has a first start opening 2003 that is always open upward and wide enough to receive only one game ball B, and two outlets 2020 that are always open to receive game balls B and discharge the received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them. The start opening unit 2100 also has a first start opening sensor 2101 that detects the game ball B received in the first start opening 2003 (see Figure 111).

The outlet 2020 is located at a lower position than the first starting opening 2003. The two outlets 2020 of the starting opening unit 2100 are located at symmetrical positions with the first starting opening 2003 in between. The first starting opening 2003 opens upward with a width that allows one game ball B to pass through. The outlet 2020 opens upward with a width that is equivalent to the width of two game balls B, and is 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 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 (out opening 1008) in conventional pachinko machines. This gives the player the illusion that the first start opening 2003 is located lower than a conventional first start opening, making the playing area 5a appear relatively larger.

The start opening unit 2100 is located below the first start opening 2003 and has a start opening display unit 2110 that can display a predetermined image. 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 start port 2003 is located directly below the central release section 2513a on the stage 2513 of the center device 2500, allowing for a high probability of receiving a gaming ball B released from the central release section 2513a. The gaming ball B received by this first start port 2003 is detected by the first start port sensor 2101, guided to the rear of the gaming panel 1100, handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

The game ball B received by the outlet 2020 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and then discharged from the back ball guide unit 3100 to the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

[8-8b. Side unit]
Next, the side unit 2200 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 96 to 98 and 102. 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 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. One sub-out opening 2021 is provided to the left of the leftmost general winning opening 2001. The sub-out opening 2021 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 2020 of the starting opening unit 2100. In other words, when game ball B rolls down the shelf 2201, it is received by the left outlet 2020.

When the side unit 2200 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the three general winning openings 2001 and one sub-out opening 2021 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 sub-out port 2021 to the rear of the game panel 1100 and deliver it to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. The game ball B delivered to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 is discharged into the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

[8-8c. Upper left side unit]
Next, the upper left side unit 2300 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 96 to 98, 102, etc. 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.

[8-8d. Attacker Unit]
Next, the attacca unit 2400 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 96 to 98 and 102. The attacca unit 2400 of the front unit 2000 is located in the gaming area 5a, to the right of the start opening unit 2100 as viewed from the front, which is in the lower right corner as viewed from the front, and is attached from the front to the front of the gaming panel 1100. This attacca unit 2400 has a second start opening 2004, a big prize opening 2005, and one sub-out opening 2021 (see Figure 102, etc.).

When viewed from the front, the attacker unit 2400 has the second starting hole 2004 located at the top right of the center in the left-right direction, the large prize opening 2005 located to the left of the center in the left-right direction and lower than the second starting hole 2004, and one sub-outlet 2021 located below the second starting hole 2004 and lower than the large prize opening 2005.

The attacker unit 2400 also includes a second start opening sensor 2401 that detects game ball B received in the second start opening 2004, a special prize opening sensor 2402 that detects game ball B received in the special prize opening 2005, and a magnetic sensor 1030 that detects unauthorized magnetism (see Figure 111). Two special prize opening sensors 2402 are provided, one on the left and one on the right.

The attacker unit 2400 also has a dummy sensor 2403 located behind the sub-outlet 2021 in a position visible from the front. This dummy sensor 2403 cannot detect game ball B, but is formed in the same manner as a through sensor that detects the passage of game ball B, such as the large prize opening sensor 2402. With this configuration, the dummy sensor 2403 can be replaced with a sensor that can actually detect game ball B, making it possible to change the main frame 4 to either counting out balls or not. Note that while the dummy sensor 2403 is formed in the same manner as a through sensor, it may also be formed as a spacer that eliminates steps that could cause balls to become stuck in that area.

The attacca unit 2400 is equipped with a second starting gate door 2411 that can open and close the second starting gate 2004, a starting gate solenoid 2412 that opens and closes the second starting gate door 2411 in accordance with the result of the normal lottery drawn when a game ball B is received at the normal winning gate 2002, a large winning gate door 2413 that can open and close the large winning gate 2005, and an attacca solenoid 2414 that opens and closes the large winning gate door 2413 in accordance with the result of the first special lottery or the result of the second special lottery drawn when a game ball B is received at the first starting gate 2003 or the second starting gate 2004.

The second starting opening 2004 of the attacca unit 2400 opens upward with a width in the left-right direction slightly larger than the diameter of game ball B. The special prize opening 2005 opens upward with a width in the left-right direction 4 to 6 times the diameter of game ball B. The second starting opening door 2411, which allows the second starting opening 2004 to be opened and closed, is movable forward and backward in the front-to-back direction and is inclined so that its left end is lower. The special prize opening door 2413, which allows the special prize opening 2005 to be opened and closed, is movable forward and backward in the front-to-back direction by rotating around an axis extending left and right, and is inclined so that its left end is lower.

This second starting port door 2411 is designed to move forward and backward. When the starting port solenoid 2412 is not energized, the plunger of the starting port solenoid 2412 protrudes due to the spring force, causing the second starting port door 2411 to move forward and close the second starting port 2004. When the starting port solenoid 2412 is energized, the plunger of the starting port solenoid 2412 retracts against the spring force, causing the second starting port door 2411 to move backward and open the second starting port 2004.

The large prize opening door 2413 is a long, flat plate that moves back and forth by rotating around a left-right axis located below the large prize opening sensor 2402. The large prize opening door 2413 can open and close the large prize opening 2005 by the forward and backward movement of the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414. When the attacca solenoid 2414 is not energized, the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414 protrudes due to the spring force, causing the large prize opening door 2413 to move forward and close the large prize opening 2005. When the attacca solenoid 2414 is energized, the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414 retracts against the spring force, causing the large prize opening door 2413 to move backward and open the large prize opening 2005.

At its upper end, the attacker unit 2400 has an upper shelf 2421 that forms a space between the second starting opening 2004 and the large prize opening 2005 through which game balls B can flow, and is sloped downward to the left and is provided to cover the upper parts. The upper shelf 2421 extends left and right from the upper right end of the second starting opening 2004 to the upper left end of the large prize opening 2005.

The attacca unit 2400 is equipped with a first shelf 2422 that is located above the second starting opening 2004 and slopes downward from a point located to the left of the right end (right rail 1005) of the attacca unit 2400, with a gap allowing one game ball B to pass through, toward the second starting opening 2004 on the left; a second shelf 2423 that slopes downward from the left end of the second starting opening 2004 on the left; a third shelf 2424 that is located to the left and below the second shelf 2423 and slopes downward from a point located between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424, with a gap allowing one game ball B to pass through, toward the large prize opening 2005 on the left; and a fourth shelf 2425 that slopes downward from the left end of the large prize opening 2005 on the left.

When a game ball B enters the gap to the right of the first shelf 2422, or the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424, this attacca unit 2400 receives the game ball B in the sub-outlet 2021 and ejects it outside the game area 5a.

Although detailed illustrations of the attacca unit 2400 are omitted, within the space between the upper shelf 2421 and the large prize opening 2005 where game balls B can circulate to the left, multiple abutment parts that are triangular in plan view protrude into the space, alternating left and right from the front and rear walls that form the space. When the large prize opening 2005 is closed, these multiple abutment parts allow game balls B rolling on the large prize opening door 2413 to circulate in a large zigzag pattern back and forth, lengthening the circulation time of game balls B circulating on the large prize opening door 2413.

In the normal state of the attacca unit 2400, the start port solenoid 2412 and the attacca solenoid 2414 are both de-energized (OFF). In this normal state, the plunger of the start port solenoid 2412 protrudes forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and the second start port door 2411 protrudes forward. In this state, the second start port door 2411 is located above the second start port 2004, and the second start port door 2411 prevents the second start port 2004 from receiving a game ball B. In other words, the second start port 2004 is closed by the second start port door 2411.

In addition, under normal conditions, the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414 protrudes forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and the large prize opening door 2413 also protrudes forward. In this state, the large prize opening door 2413 is located above the large prize opening 2005, making it impossible for the large prize opening 2005 to receive game ball B. In other words, the large prize opening 2005 is closed by the large prize opening door 2413.

In this normal state, when a game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2422, the inclination of the first shelf 2422 causes the game ball B to roll to the left, rolling over the top surface of the second starting gate door 2411 and the second shelf 2423 before being released to the left from the left end of the second shelf 2423. The game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2423 will, depending on its momentum, fall onto the third shelf 2424 or the large prize gate door 2413, and roll to the left due to the inclination of these. Furthermore, if a game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2423 hits the underside of the upper shelf 2421 and bounces off to the right, it may enter the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424.

The game ball B rolling on the large prize opening door 2413, which closes the large prize opening 2005, alternately abuts against multiple abutment sections provided in the space between the upper shelf 2421 and the large prize opening 2005, causing it to roll to the left in a zigzag pattern back and forth. After rolling to the left on the large prize opening door 2413, the game ball B rolls over the fourth shelf 2425 and is then released from its left end out of the attacca unit 2400. Because the left end of the fourth shelf 2425 is located lower than the first starting opening 2003, the game ball B released to the left from the fourth shelf 2425 is received by the outlet 2020.

When a game ball B flows down onto the upper shelf portion 2421 of the attacca unit 2400, it is guided to the left by the slope and is released to the left of the attacca unit 2400 without having the opportunity to be accepted by the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005. Because the left end of the upper shelf portion 2421 is located at a higher position than the first starting opening 2003, game ball B released to the left from the upper shelf portion 2421 has the potential to be accepted by the first starting opening 2003.

In this attacca unit 2400, when a game ball B flows down to the right of the first shelf 2422, it enters the sub-out port 2021. Also, when a game ball B enters the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424, it enters the sub-out port 2021. A game ball B that enters the sub-out port 2021 is not returned to the game area 5a, but is discharged onto the lower substrate holder 1200 through the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and is then handed over to the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulating ball path unit 600. This attacca unit 2400 is configured so that both game balls B that have circulated along the right side of the first shelf 2422 and game balls B that have passed through the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424 enter the sub-outlet 2021, so that there are essentially two sub-outlets 2021.

In this normal state, when the start port solenoid 2412 is energized (ON) in accordance with the result of the normal lottery drawn when game ball B is received in the normal winning port 2002, the plunger retracts against the spring force, and the second start port door 2411 moves rearward. Then, as the second start port door 2411 moves rearward, the top of the second start port 2004 becomes open, allowing game ball B to be received into the second start port 2004. In other words, the second start port 2004 is in an open state.

When game ball B is received into second starting port 2004 while the second starting port 2004 is in the open state, it is detected by second starting port sensor 2401 and then released rearward from the attacca unit 2400. Game ball B received into second starting port 2004 and released rearward from the attacca unit 2400 is handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 and discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

On the other hand, under normal conditions, when the attacca solenoid 2414 is energized (ON) in accordance with the special lottery result (first special lottery result or second special lottery result) determined by receiving a game ball B into the first starting opening 2003 or the second starting opening 2004, the plunger retracts against the spring force, and the large prize opening door 2413 moves rearward. As the large prize opening door 2413 moves rearward, the large prize opening 2005 is opened upward, allowing the large prize opening 2005 to receive a game ball B. In other words, the large prize opening 2005 is in an open state.

When game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005 while the large prize opening 2005 is open, it is detected by one of the two large prize opening sensors 2402 located below and is then released rearward from the attacca unit 2400. Game ball B received into the large prize opening 2005 and released rearward from the attacca unit 2400 is handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 and discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

In this way, according to the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment, game balls B received by the large prize opening 2005 are detected by one of the two large prize opening sensors 2402 and then released to the rear, which prevents game balls B from getting stuck between the large prize opening 2005 and the large prize opening sensors 2402 and allows a large number of game balls B to be received in a short period of time.

[8-8e. Center role]
Next, the center role 2500 in the front unit 2000 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 96 to 98, 102, 103 to 106, etc. Figure 103(a) is a front view of the lottery role in the center role, and (b) is a perspective view of the lottery role seen from above in front. Figure 104 is a side cross-sectional view of the lottery role in the center role, cut at the center in the left-right direction. Figure 105(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the lottery role in a state in which the game ball cannot loop, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the lottery role in a state in which the game ball can loop. Figure 106 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in the lottery role.

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, is equipped with a device winning opening 2006 that opens and closes to accept a game ball B depending on the results of the lottery for the first special symbol drawn when a game ball B is received into the first starting opening 2003 and the second special symbol drawn when a game ball B is received into the second starting opening 2004, a second V winning opening 2008 that can only accept game balls B that have been received into the device winning opening 2006, and a losing opening 2009 that can accept game balls B that have been received into the device winning opening 2006 but not into the second V winning opening 2008.

The central device 2500 is equipped with a device winning opening sensor 2501 that detects game ball B received in device winning opening 2006, a first V winning opening sensor 2502 that detects game ball B received in first V winning opening 2007, a second V winning opening sensor 2503 that detects game ball B received in second V winning opening 2008, and a loss opening sensor 2504 that detects game ball B received in loss opening 2009.

The center device 2500 comprises a frame-shaped main unit 2510 and a lottery device 2550 located at the bottom of the frame of the main unit 2510. The main unit 2510 has a device winning slot 2006 and a first V winning slot 2007. The lottery device 2550 has a second V winning slot 2008 and a losing slot 2009.

[8-8e-1. Main unit]
The main unit 2510 of the center device 2500 will be described in detail. The main unit 2510 has a device winning opening 2006. The main unit 2510 includes a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the front of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), warp passages 2512 capable of guiding game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2511 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 provided at the bottom edge within the frame of the center frame 2511, which rolls the game balls B that have flowed through the warp passage 2512 in the left-right direction and then releases them into the game area 5a.

The center frame 2511 has a frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 and is arranged along the inner surface of the opening 1112, extending in the front-to-rear direction; a flat flange portion 2511b that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a and abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; an inflow restriction portion 2511c that extends forward beyond the flange portion 2511b and restricts the game ball B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; and a flat support portion 2511d that protrudes from the inner periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a.

When assembled to the gaming board 5, the insertion portion 2511a is arranged so that its rear end coincides with the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. When assembled to the gaming board 5, the inflow restriction portion 2511c has a front end, excluding the bottom edge of its frame shape (annular shape), that protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. As a result, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the inflow restriction portion 2511c can prevent (restrict) the entry (inflow) of game ball B from the outside of the center role device 2500 (center frame 2511) into the interior of the frame.

The flange portion 2511b and the support portion 2511d are thinner than the panel plate 1110 (1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110). The flange portion 2511b and the support portion 2511d protrude from the insertion portion 2511a at the same position in the front-to-rear direction.

Multiple support portions 2511d are provided partially around the inner circumference of the insertion portion 2511a. Support portions 2511d are also provided in areas of the insertion portion 2511a where the flange portion 2511b does not protrude, reinforcing the insertion portion 2511a (center frame 2511). The end edges of the support portions 2511d protruding from the insertion portion 2511a are formed in a shape that follows the front shape of the insertion portion 2511a or in a straight line, preventing the support portions 2511d from standing out. The amount by which the support portions 2511d protrude from the insertion portion 2511a is within the range from the thickness of the support portions 2511d to the thickness of the panel board 1110 (1 mm to 10 mm), ensuring that they are not noticeable to players while still providing a reinforcing effect.

The warp passage 2512 has an opening at the left side of the inflow restriction section 2511c when viewed from the front, allowing game balls B in the game area 5a to enter. The warp passage 2512 can guide the game balls B that have entered to the stage 2513. A portion of the warp passage 2512 is formed by the center frame 2511.

The stage 2513 is attached to the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511. The stage 2513 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 starting hole 2003 of the starting hole unit 2100, that is, the approximate central position in the left-right direction when the center role device 2500 is attached to the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, is slightly higher than the left and right sides. This stage 2513 has a central release portion 2513a that is slightly higher than the left and right sides in the left-right center, and the lowest portions on both sides (side release portions 2513b) that are inclined so that they slope downward toward the front, and game balls B can be released into the gaming area 5a from these portions.

When the stage 2513 is assembled to the game board 5, its elevated central portion in the left-right direction (central release section 2513a) is located directly above the first starting hole 2003 of the starting hole unit 2100. As a result, when a game ball B is released from the central release section 2513a in the center of the stage 2513, there is an extremely high probability that it will be received by the first starting hole 2003.

The main unit 2510 of the center device 2500 is located in the upper right corner of the center frame 2511 and is equipped with a guide passage group 2520 consisting of two passages through which game ball B can flow. The guide passage group 2520 guides game ball B above the normal winning opening 2002 and the attacca unit 2400.

As shown in FIG. 102, the guide passage group 2520 is located outside the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center frame 2511, and is composed of a first guide passage 2521 whose upper entrance is located at the collision stop portion 1006, and a second guide passage 2522 whose upper entrance is located adjacent to the left side of the entrance to the first guide passage 2521. The guide passage group 2520 (first guide passage 2521 and second guide passage 2522) are both made of colorless and transparent materials, and the game balls B flowing through them can be seen from the front.

The first guide passage 2521 extends vertically downward for a short distance from the impact stop 1006 of the previous component 1000, then bends to the right at a right angle, and as it approaches the right rail 1005, bends downward and extends along the right rail 1005, bends to the left approximately three-quarters of the height of the playing area 5a, extends to the left at a gentle angle, bends downward at a position one playing ball B to the left of the entrance to the second guide passage 2522, extends to the center height of the playing area 5a, bends to the right and extends to the vicinity of the right rail 1005, and then bends downward so that the exit opens downward.

The first guide passage 2521 does not bend in the front-to-back direction, and guides the game ball B downward on approximately the same plane as the front of the game panel 1100. A special prize opening 2006 is provided in the upper left-hand portion of the first guide passage 2521. In addition, below the exit of the first guide passage 2521, a normal prize opening 2002 opens upward.

On the other hand, the second guide passage 2522 has an entrance that opens upward at a location spaced to the left from the entrance of the first guide passage 2521. The second guide passage 2522 extends substantially straight downward from the entrance at the upper end, bends backward at a height lower than the height of the section where the first guide passage 2521 first bends to the right, bends downward behind the front of the gaming panel 1100 so that it is aligned in the front-to-back direction with the first guide passage 2521, extends downward so that its left-to-right direction is roughly aligned with the leftmost section of the first guide passage 2521 that extends downward, bends to the right in a crank shape at a height at the center of the gaming area 5a, bends downward again, bends forward at a section lower than the section of the first guide passage 2521 that extends to the right on the lower side, and then bends right to extend along the lower side of the section of the first guide passage 2521 that extends to the right on the same plane as the first guide passage 2521 in the front-to-back direction, and then bends downward adjacent to the left side of the exit of the first guide passage 2521, so that the exit opens downward.

The main unit 2510 is provided in the middle of one of the guide passages 2520 (here, the first guide passage 2521), and has a special prize winning port 2006 that can receive the game ball B depending on the first special lottery result and the second special lottery result that are drawn when the game ball B is received in the first start port 2003 and the second start port 2004, and a chance port 2006 that can receive the game ball B received in the special prize winning port 2006. 2531, a second sorting device 2540 that sorts game balls B sorted by the first sorting device 2530 to the chance hole 2531 to the first V winning hole 2007, and a lottery guide passage 2545 that guides game balls B not sorted by the second sorting device 2540 to the first V winning hole 2007 (game balls B sorted to the second spurt hole 2541) to the lottery device 2550.

The bonus prize opening 2006 in the main unit 2510 (center bonus device 2500) is located in a section extending to the left at the top of the first guide passage 2521, extending left and right over approximately the entire length of that section in the left-right direction, and opening upward. The bonus prize opening door 2515 extends forward and backward, and is formed like a plate extending left and right with its left end lowered. By moving forward and backward, the bonus prize opening 2006, which opens upward, can be opened and closed. The bonus prize opening door 2515 can close the bonus prize opening 2006 by moving forward. When the bonus prize opening 2006 is closed, it forms the bottom of the section extending left in the first guide passage 2521, and can guide game ball B circulating from upstream to the exit side of the first guide passage 2521.

The device prize opening door 2515 moves backward when driven by the device prize opening solenoid 2516, thereby opening the device prize opening 2006 and allowing the game ball B that has circulated through the first guide passage 2521 to be received by the device prize opening 2006. This device prize opening door 2515 closes the device prize opening 2006 when the device prize opening solenoid 2516 is OFF (not energized), and opens the device prize opening 2006 when the device prize opening solenoid 2516 is ON (energized).

The first distribution device 2530 is equipped with a chance opening 2531 and a first spurt opening 2532 into which a game ball B received by the device winning opening 2006 and detected by the device winning opening sensor 2501 can enter, a distribution rotor 2533 that has a storage section 2533a on its outer surface that can store only one game ball B and is rotatable around an axis in the front-to-back direction, and a first distribution solenoid 2534 (see Figure 111) for rotating the distribution rotor 2533 between a state in which the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 faces right and a state in which it faces upward. The distribution rotor 2533 is formed in a truncated cone shape with its outer surface tapering toward the rear.

The chance opening 2531 of the first sorting device 2530 is located downstream of the sorting rotor 2533 in the flow of game balls B, and is capable of receiving game balls B stored in the storage section 2533a of the sorting rotor 2533. The chance opening 2531 is located to the right of the sorting rotor 2533. The chance opening 2531 is connected to the second sorting device 2540. The first spur opening 2532 is located upstream of the sorting rotor 2533 in the flow of game balls B, and is capable of receiving game balls B that are not stored in the storage section 2533a of the sorting rotor 2533. The first spur opening 2532 is open forward and guides entering game balls B rearward of the game panel 1100.

When the first distribution solenoid 2534 of the first distribution device 2530 is OFF (de-energized), the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 faces to the right. In this state, when a game ball B received in the device winning opening 2006 flows down from above to the distribution rotor 2533 after being detected by the device winning opening sensor 2501, it comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the distribution rotor 2533. The outer circumferential surface of this distribution rotor 2533 is formed in a truncated cone shape that narrows toward the rear, so that the slope of the outer circumferential surface guides the game ball B rearward, causing it to enter the first outlet 2532.

On the other hand, when the first distribution solenoid 2534 is ON (energized), the distribution rotor 2533 rotates 90 degrees counterclockwise, with the storage section 2533a facing upward. In this state, when a game ball B received in the device winning opening 2006 flows down from above into the distribution rotor 2533 after being detected by the device winning opening sensor 2501, only one game ball is stored in the storage section 2533a. When a game ball B is stored in the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 and another game ball B flows down from above from the device winning opening 2006 side into the distribution rotor 2533, the game ball B will come into contact with the game ball B stored in the storage section 2533a and then enter the first outlet 2532 at the rear. A game ball B that enters the first outlet 2532 is detected by a sensor and then handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, from which it is discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

When a game ball B is stored in the storage section 2533a, the first distribution solenoid 2534 rotates the distribution rotor 2533 90 degrees clockwise, causing the storage section 2533a to face to the right. The game ball B stored in the storage section 2533a rolls to the right from the storage section 2533a and is received by the chance port 2531. The game ball B received by the chance port 2531 is sent to the next second distribution device 2540.

In this way, the first distribution device 2530 can distribute game balls B received in the special prize winning opening 2006 to either the chance opening 2531 side (second distribution device 2540 side) or the first spurt opening 2532 side.

The second sorting device 2540 sorts the game balls B sorted to the chance port 2531 by the first sorting device 2530 to either the second spurt port 2541 or the first V winning port 2007. When viewed from the front, the second sorting device 2540 is located at a height between the first sorting device 2530 and the exit of the guide passage group 2520. The second sorting device 2540 is located behind the sorting rotor 2533 of the first sorting device 2530.

The second distribution device 2540 is equipped with a second draw port 2541 and a first V winning port 2007 that are designed to allow entry of game balls B that have been accommodated in the accommodation section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 in the first distribution device 2530 and allocated to the chance port 2531, a distribution piece 2543 that can open and close the second draw port 2541 by moving back and forth, and a second distribution solenoid 2544 (see Figure 111) for moving the distribution piece 2543 back and forth.

The second spur port 2541 opens upward at a position to the right of the distribution rotor 2533, and game balls B distributed to the chance port 2531 are supplied from above. The first V winning port 2007 is located adjacent to the right side of the second spur port 2541 and opens upward. The distribution piece 2543 is a flat plate that slopes downward to the right, and by protruding forward, it can close the upper opening of the second spur port 2541, preventing game balls B from being received by the second spur port 2541, and can also guide game balls B that come into contact with the upper surface to the right, allowing them to be received by the first V winning port 2007.

When the second distribution solenoid 2544 of the second distribution device 2540 is OFF (de-energized), the distribution piece 2543 advances, closing the second draw port 2541. In this state, when a game ball B distributed to the chance port 2531 in the first distribution device 2530 flows down, it abuts the upper surface of the distribution piece 2543 and is guided to the right by the inclination of the distribution piece 2543, and is received (distributed) into the first V winning port 2007. The game ball B distributed to the first V winning port 2007 is detected by the first V winning port sensor 2502, then handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and discharged from the back ball guiding unit 3100 into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

On the other hand, when the second distribution solenoid 2544 is ON (energized), the distribution piece 2543 retracts, opening the second spur port 2541 upward and allowing game balls B to be received by the second spur port 2541. In this state, when a game ball B distributed to the chance port 2531 by the first distribution device 2530 flows down, the game ball B passes in front of the retracted distribution piece 2543 and is received (distributed) by the second spur port 2541. The game ball B distributed to the second spur port 2541 is then guided by the lottery guide passage 2545 to the lottery device 2550 on the left.

In this way, the second distribution device 2540 can distribute game balls B stored in the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 in the first distribution device 2530, i.e., game balls B distributed to the chance port 2531, to either the second spurt port 2541 (lottery device 2550) side or the first V winning port 2007 side.

The lottery guide passage 2545 is provided with a lottery device entrance sensor 2546 that detects the circulation of game ball B. When game ball B is detected by this lottery device entrance sensor 2546, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the effect display device 1600, main frame speaker 503, top center speaker, top side speaker, LEDs provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3, etc., to execute an effect that livens up the lottery (allocation) of game ball B within the lottery device 2550. As a result, game ball B is allocated to the second slot 2541 in the second allocation device 2540, eliminating any disappointment the player may have and increasing their excitement for the lottery device 2550.

[8-8e-2. Lottery device]
The lottery device 2550 in the center device 2500 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 103 to 106. The lottery device 2550 of the center device 2500 is provided at the bottom within the frame of the main unit 2510, which is formed in a frame shape, and has a second V winning opening 2008 and a losing opening 2009. This lottery device 2550 is supplied with game balls B received in the device winning opening 2006. In detail, the game balls B received in the device winning opening 2006 and distributed to the chance opening 2531 by the first distribution device 2530, and then further distributed to the second losing opening 2541 by the second distribution device 2540, are supplied. In addition, the lottery device 2550 is equipped with a second V winning port sensor 2503 that detects a game ball B accepted into the second V winning port 2008, and a losing port sensor 2504 that detects a game ball B accepted into the losing port 2009.

The lottery device 2550 of the center device 2500 is provided with a guide path 2551 that slopes downward to the left and receives game balls B that have been distributed to the second slot 2541 by the second distribution device 2540 and circulated through the lottery guide passage 2545; a distribution section 2552 that distributes game balls B that have circulated through the guide path 2551 to either the loop side or the non-loop side (missing slot 2009 side); a hitting section 2553 that can hit game balls B that have been distributed to the loop side by the distribution section 2552 backward; and a game ball B that has been hit backward by the hitting section 2553 that is supplied with game balls B that have been circulated through the lottery guide passage 2545 and circulated forward. The table 2555 has a wide surface in both the front and rear and left and right directions, along which the game ball B guided by the oscillating gutter 2554 rolls and which is slanted downward toward the guide path 2551 in front, and has a second V winning opening 2008 near its downstream end, and a pair of oscillating pieces 2556 located between the second V winning opening 2008 on the table 2555 and the oscillating gutter 2554 and which are oscillating around the axis in the up and down direction.

This lottery device 2550 will be described in more detail below, but as long as the distribution unit 2552 distributes the game balls B to the loop side, the game balls B released from the table 2555 on which the second V winning opening 2008 is located are supplied to the striking unit 2553, allowing the game balls B to loop between the striking unit 2553 and the table 2555.

The guide path 2551 of the lottery device 2550 extends from near the rear end to the front end along the right edge of the lottery device 2550, becoming lower at the front, and then extends along the front edge of the lottery device 2550 to near the left end, becoming lower at the left, forming an L-shape in a plan view. This guide path 2551 extends with a width slightly larger than the diameter of the game ball B. Game ball B is supplied to the guide path 2551 from the lottery guide passage 2545 at the portion that extends in the front-to-rear direction along the right edge.

The distribution section 2552 of the lottery device 2550 is located near the downstream end (left end) of the portion of the guideway 2551 that extends in the left-right direction. The distribution section 2552 includes a losing port 2009 that penetrates the guideway 2551 and opens upward, a swing-bridge-like distribution bridge 2557 that is rotatable around an axis extending in the front-to-back direction near the left end of the losing port 2009 and allows the losing port 2009 to be opened and closed, and a lottery loop solenoid 2558 (see Figure 111) for rotating the distribution bridge 2557. The guideway 2551 is divided into an upstream side and a downstream side by the losing port 2009.

In a plan view, the sorting bridge 2557 is formed as a flat plate that is long from side to side, with its left side supported so that it can rotate around a longitudinal axis and its right side acting as a free end. The sorting bridge 2557 is rotatable between a loop position (see Figure 105(a)) in which the right side approaches the right side of the outlet 2009 and extends left and right, leaning over, and a non-loop position (see Figure 105(b)) in which the right side is positioned above the left side, extending up and down, and standing upright.

When the sorting bridge 2557 is in the loop position, it bridges the guideway 2551, which is divided into two parts, upstream and downstream, by the loss port 2009, allowing game ball B to roll from the upstream side to the downstream side by passing over the sorting bridge 2557. In other words, when the sorting bridge 2557 is in the loop position, it closes the loss port 2009, making it unable to accept game ball B. On the other hand, when the sorting bridge 2557 is in the non-loop position, the loss port 2009 is opened upward, allowing game ball B rolling from upstream to be accepted by the loss port 2009 without being passed on to the downstream side. In this way, in the sorting unit 2552, the sorting bridge 2557 can sort game ball B to either the loop side or the non-loop side.

This distribution bridge 2557 has a distribution display section 2557a, which is shaped like a flag and marked with an X, on the side opposite the rolling surface of the game ball B. This distribution display section 2557a becomes visible to the player when the distribution bridge 2557 is in the non-loop position that opens the losing hole 2009. This allows the player to recognize that the game ball B cannot reach the downstream striking section 2553 (cannot loop).

In addition, the left end of the rotatably supported sorting bridge 2557 is located to the left of the left end of the downstream end (front edge) of the table 2555. Therefore, game ball B released from the table 2555 towards the guideway 2551 is released to the right of the sorting bridge 2557 in the non-loop position, so when in the non-loop position, game ball B from the table 2555 does not go to the downstream side of the guideway 2551, which is divided into two (downstream of the sorting bridge 2557), but is instead received by the open losing port 2009.

The striking section 2553 of the lottery device 2550 is inclined so that its front end is lower than the downstream end of the guideway 2551 and rises toward the rear, and is equipped with an uphill section 2559 to which game balls B sorted to the loop side by the sorting section 2552 are supplied, a fan-shaped striking piece 2560 that is provided at the downstream end of the uphill section 2559 and can strike game balls B, and a striking piece drive motor 2561 (see Figure 111) that rotates the striking piece 2560 around an axis perpendicular to the uphill section 2559.

The fan-shaped striking piece 2560 is rotated at a relatively high speed by the striking piece drive motor 2561. Therefore, the strength with which the game ball B is struck varies depending on the timing of when the game ball B reaches the location where the striking piece 2560 is installed and the timing of the rotational position of the striking piece 2560. Therefore, if the game ball B is struck with a certain degree of force, it will climb over the inclined portion 2559 and move toward the rear oscillating gutter 2554. If the strike is weak, it will not climb over the inclined portion 2559 and will return to the front. This creates suspense and excitement for the player depending on whether the game ball B is struck hard enough to move toward the oscillating gutter 2554 (table 2555). Furthermore, because the game ball B returns when the strike piece 2560 strikes it weakly, the time until the game with the game ball B is confirmed can be extended, giving the player a sense of success, and thereby enhancing the player's enjoyment and preventing a decline in interest.

This lottery device 2550 has a swinging passage 2562 between the striking section 2553 and the swinging gutter 2554, into which game balls B that have climbed over an uphill section 2559 are supplied. The swinging passage 2562 is curved so that both ends are higher and the center is lower, and a release port 2563 is provided in the center of the swinging passage 2562 and releases game balls B into the swinging gutter 2554. Multiple bumps are provided near the higher left and right ends of the swinging passage 2562, which can reduce the rolling speed of game balls B. The swinging passage 2562 is provided along the rear edge of the lottery device 2550 and is located behind the table 2555. Game balls B supplied from the striking section 2553 to the swinging passage 2562 roll left and right, similar to the stage 2513, before being released from the central release port 2563 into the swinging gutter 2554.

The oscillating gutter 2554 of the lottery device 2550 is formed in a disk shape and has a gutter section 2554a that is recessed like a gutter and extends from the center to the outer periphery. The disk-shaped oscillating gutter 2554 has an axis of rotation that is inclined so that the rear end is higher. The lottery device 2550 has a gutter oscillation drive motor 2564 (see Figure 111) for rotating the oscillating gutter 2554 back and forth within a predetermined angle range. The gutter oscillation drive motor 2564 rotates the oscillating gutter 2554 back and forth so that the tip of the gutter section 2554a faces the second V winning opening 2008 in the front, with the tip facing left and right within a predetermined angle range.

The oscillating gutter 2554 is located at the rear end (top end) of the table 2555 in the center in the left-right direction, and game balls B released from the release port 2563 are delivered to the gutter section 2554a. Because the oscillating gutter 2554 rotates back and forth, game balls B delivered to the gutter section 2554a can be released within a fan-shaped range corresponding to the rotation direction of the tip of the gutter section 2554a on the table 2555. At this time, because the oscillating gutter 2554 is rotating even as the received game ball B rolls down the gutter section 2554a and is released from the tip, an inertial force acts on the game ball B due to this rotation. Therefore, game balls B released from the tip of the gutter section 2554a do not roll on the table 2555 in a straight line in the direction that the gutter section 2554a is facing, making the rolling direction difficult to predict.

The table 2555 of the lottery device 2550 is inclined so that its front end is lower, and the left-right length of the front end, which is the downstream end, is shorter than the left-right length of the rear end. The table 2555 also has a swaying gutter 2554 at its upper end in the center of the left-right direction, and a second V winning opening 2008 near its lower end in the center of the left-right direction. The table 2555 has a central groove 2555a extending from the swaying gutter 2554 to the second V winning opening 2008 in the center of the left-right direction, and a recess 2555b recessed from its surroundings near its lower end in the center of the left-right direction. The recess 2555b is recessed in the shape of a pentagonal home base, and the second V winning opening 2008 is located at its bottom.

This table 2555 has a central groove 2555a leading to the second V winning opening 2008, and a recess 2555b at the bottom where the second V winning opening 2008 is located, so that when the game ball B enters these grooves, it appears to the player that it will be accepted by the second V winning opening 2008, allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B rolling around on the table 2555.

The front end, which is the downstream end of the table 2555, is located at a higher position than the guide path 2551 in front of it. Therefore, game balls B circulating along the guide path 2551 will not be supplied onto the table 2555 without passing through the hitting section 2553 and the oscillating gutter 2554.

A pair of oscillating pieces 2556 of the lottery device 2550 are provided symmetrically at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the table 2555 in the left-right direction, between the oscillating gutter 2554 and the second V winning slot 2008 on the table 2555. The oscillating pieces 2556 are formed in a droplet shape, with their circular base end facing forward and their pointed tips pointing backward, and are rotatable around the circular base end.

The lottery device 2550 is equipped with a swing piece solenoid 2565 that swings a pair of swing pieces 2556 by rotating them back and forth within a predetermined angle range around an axis in the vertical direction. The pair of swing pieces 2556 are configured to rotate in opposite directions by a single swing piece solenoid 2565.

The pair of swinging pieces 2556 are rotated by the swinging piece solenoid 2565, which allows for a faster rotation speed compared to when they are rotated by a drive motor. Therefore, when a game ball B strikes the swinging piece 2556 while it is swinging and moving, the game ball B can be forcefully bounced away. Therefore, depending on the rotation direction of the swinging piece 2556, the striking game ball B can be sent toward the center or both ends of the table 2555 in the left-right direction, thereby varying the flow of the game ball B.

When the pointed tips of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are close to each other, the distance between the oscillating pieces 2556 narrows, and the rear-facing surfaces of the oscillating pieces 2556 are inclined so that they move away from the left-right center as they move forward, resulting in the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 narrowing toward the rear. As a result, when a game ball B flowing down from the rear of the oscillating gutter 2554 or table 2555 passes between the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, it is more likely to be accepted by the second V winning opening 2008; however, when it comes into contact with the rear-facing surfaces of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, it is guided away from the left-right center due to the inclination, making it less likely to be accepted by the second V winning opening 2008.

On the other hand, when the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are in a state where their pointed tips are away from each other (as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 106), the rear-facing surfaces of the oscillating pieces 2556 are inclined so that they approach the center in the left-right direction as they move forward, and the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are in a state where they are spread out toward the rear. As a result, when a game ball B flowing down from the rear of the oscillating gutter 2554 or the table 2555 comes into contact with the rear-facing surfaces of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, the inclination will guide it toward the center in the left-right direction, and it may be received by the second V winning opening 2008.

Therefore, when the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are widened toward the rear, a game ball B that comes into contact with the oscillating pieces 2556 is guided toward the center in the left-right direction, and therefore, compared to when the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are narrowed toward the rear, there is a higher chance that a game ball B flowing down from the rear will be received by the second V winning opening 2008. In other words, the probability of receiving a game ball B into the second V winning opening 2008 can be changed depending on the state of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556.

The lottery device 2550 of this embodiment is equipped with a transparent cover 2566 that covers the entire device from above (see Figures 96 to 98, etc.). This cover 2566 prevents game balls B supplied through the lottery guide passage 2545 from flying out of the lottery device 2550, and also prevents game balls B from being supplied (entering) from outside other than the lottery guide passage 2545.

Next, the flow of game balls B in the lottery device 2550 will be explained. In the lottery device 2550, game balls B are received into the device winning port 2006, which opens and closes in a predetermined pattern depending on the first or second special lottery result (for example, a "win") obtained when a game ball B is received into the first starting port 2003 or second starting port 2004. One of the game balls B received into the device winning port 2006 is supplied to the upstream area of the guide path 2551 through the lottery guide passage 2545. The game ball B supplied to the upstream area of the guide path 2551 rolls toward the left sorting section 2552 according to the slope of the guide path 2551.

In the distribution section 2552, the distribution bridge 2557 is tilted and in a loop position for a predetermined period of time, and game balls B rolling from the upstream side pass through the distribution bridge 2557 and roll to the striking section 2553 on the downstream side. Game balls B supplied to the striking section 2553 are then struck backward by the rotating striking piece 2560, causing them to roll up the uphill section 2559 extending backward.

At this time, because striking piece 2560 is formed in a fan shape and rotates at a relatively high speed, depending on the timing of impact of game ball B relative to the rotational position of striking piece 2560, it may impact game ball B hard or just barely touch game ball B, causing game ball B to be struck backward with varying force. Therefore, if the impact by striking piece 2560 is weak, game ball B may not be able to climb up the rising slope 2559 toward the rear and may end up returning down slope 2559, causing game ball B to go back and forth along slope 2559.

When the game ball B hit by the striking piece 2560 overcomes the uphill section 2559, it enters the swinging passage 2562 located at the rear and rolls left and right along the swinging passage 2562, which is lower in the left-right center. At this time, multiple irregularities are provided near the left and right ends of the swinging passage 2562, and as the game ball B passes through these irregularities, the impact of the irregularities reduces its rolling speed. This reduces the momentum of the game ball B that has been hit by the striking piece 2560 and overcomes the uphill section 2559.

After rolling back and forth along the swinging passage 2562, the game ball B is finally released onto the table 2555 from the central release port 2563 via the swinging gutter 2554. At this time, the swinging gutter 2554 is swung and rotated so as to move back and forth within a predetermined angular range by the gutter swing drive motor 2564. Therefore, depending on the timing at which the game ball B is released from the release port 2563 into the swinging gutter 2554 and the timing of the rotation position of the swinging gutter 2554, the game ball B is released from the swinging gutter 2554 in various directions.

The game ball B released from the oscillating gutter 2554 onto the table 2555 rolls forward as the table 2555 tilts, and is released from the front edge into the guideway 2551. At this time, a pair of oscillating pieces 2556, spaced apart on the left and right, are oscillating near the center of the table 2555 in the front-to-back direction, so that the game ball B that comes into contact with the oscillating pieces 2556 can be bounced off, changing its rolling direction. In addition, a second V-shaped winning opening 2008 is provided near the front end of the table 2555 in the center of the left-to-right direction, so that the game ball B rolling on the table 2555 may be received by the second V-shaped winning opening 2008.

A game ball B received by the second V winning opening 2008 is detected by the second V winning opening sensor 2503, and then handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, after which it is discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When game ball B is received by this second V winning opening 2008, a "jackpot game" is executed, which is an advantageous game state in which the large winning opening 2005 is opened and closed in a predetermined pattern. Therefore, when game ball B is supplied to the lottery device 2550, the player can be kept on the edge of their seat depending on whether or not the game ball B will be received by the second V winning opening 2008, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

When a game ball B is released from the front edge of the table 2555 onto the guideway 2551, it is supplied to the striking section 2553 through the sorting bridge 2557 within a specified time period because the sorting bridge 2557 of the sorting section 2552 is in the loop position. Therefore, when the sorting bridge 2557 is in the loop position, the game ball B can loop any number of times between the striking section 2553 and the table 2555 as long as the game ball B is not accepted by the second V winning opening 2008. In other words, when the sorting bridge 2557 is in the loop position, there are multiple opportunities for the game ball B to be accepted by the second V winning opening 2008. As a result, even if the game ball B rolling on the table 2555 is not accepted by the second V winning opening 2008, it can pass through the sorting bridge 2557 in the loop position, providing another opportunity for it to be accepted by the second V winning opening 2008, allowing the player to continue enjoying the game.

After a predetermined time has passed, the sorting bridge 2557 of the sorting unit 2552 moves from the loop position to the raised non-loop position, and the losing port 2009 that was closed by the sorting bridge 2557 is opened upward. In this state, game balls B released from the front edge of the table 2555 and game balls B that have rolled along the guideway 2551 are received by the losing port 2009, and the lottery at the lottery device 2550 ends without game balls B looping. At this time, the upright sorting bridge 2557 causes the sorting display unit 2557a, which resembles an X flag, to rise and become visible, allowing the player to recognize that game ball B will not loop.

The game ball B received in the loss port 2009 is detected by the loss port sensor 2504, and then handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, after which it is discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

In this way, the lottery device 2550 of this embodiment can keep the player on edge and entertained, depending on whether or not game ball B supplied from the device winning port 2006 will be accepted by the second V winning port 2008. Furthermore, even if game ball B is not accepted by the second V winning port 2008, when the distribution bridge 2557 of the distribution section 2552 is in the loop position, game ball B is sent again via the impact section 2553 to the oscillating gutter 2554 located upstream of the second V winning port 2008 and loops, giving the player another chance to be accepted by the second V winning port 2008. This creates a renewed sense of anticipation in the player, entertains the player, and prevents a decline in interest.

[8-8f. Regular winning unit]
Next, the normal winning port unit 2600 in the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 96 to 98, 102, etc. The normal winning port unit 2600 has a normal winning port 2002, and is provided near the left end of the gaming area 5a, below the center in the vertical direction. This normal winning port unit 2600 is provided between the attacca unit 2400 and the guide passage group 2520 in the center role device 2500, and the normal winning port 2002 is provided so as to be located directly below the exit of the first guide passage 2521.

The normal winning port 2002 of the normal winning port unit 2600 is always open facing upward to receive the game ball B. The game ball B received by the normal winning port 2002 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, detected by the normal winning port sensor 3002, and discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

[8-9. 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 102 etc. When assembled on the play board 5, the center role 2500 is located approximately in the center of the play area 5a. Although not shown, 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, and in the part between the attacca unit 2400 and the guide passage group 2520 of the center role 2500. In addition, a windmill (not shown) that rotates when the game ball B comes into contact with it is provided on the left side of the center role 2500 and above the upper left side unit 2300.

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 gaming area 5a, the entrance to the warp passage 2512 opens slightly upward from the left, in a position below the vertical center of the inflow restriction section 2511c of the center frame 2511. A windmill is also provided between the warp passage 2512 and the shelf section 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 warp passage 2512 with a certain probability. The game ball B that enters the warp passage 2512 is supplied to the stage 2513 provided within the frame of the center device 2500, rolls left and right on the stage 2513, and is released from either the central release section 2513a or the side release section 2513b so as to return to the game area 5a. The central release section 2513a of the stage 2513 is provided directly above the first starting opening 2003 in the left-right center of the game area 5a, so that a game ball B released from the central release section 2513a will be accepted by the first starting opening 2003 with a certain probability. A game ball B released from the side release sections 2513b on both the left and right sides of the central release section 2513a will be accepted by the first starting opening 2003 with a certain probability.

After being received into the first starting port 2003, the game ball B is detected by the first starting port sensor 2101 of the starting port 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 the game ball B is detected by the first starting port sensor 2101, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of game balls B are added to the number of balls the player has, and when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved first special symbols is less than four), a lottery is held for a first special symbol that can create an advantageous game state for the player. The drawn first special symbol is also referred to as the first special lottery result.

Game balls B that are released from stage 2513 and are not received by the first starting port 2003 are received by the outlet 2020 and discharged outside the game area 5a. Game balls B received by the outlet 2020 are guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and then discharged from the rear ball guiding unit 3100 to the outlet ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

If a game ball B is shot into the outer left side of the center device 2500 and does not enter the 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 starting opening 2003 or the general winning opening 2001 located in the side unit 2200. A game ball B that flows to the right of the center of the windmill may be accepted by the sub-out opening 2021 located in the side unit 2200. A game ball B that is not accepted by the first starting opening 2003, the general winning opening 2001, or the sub-out opening 2021 is accepted by the out opening 2020 and discharged outside the game area 5a.

Game ball B received by general winning opening 2001 is guided to the rear of the game 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 game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of balls are added to the player's possession.

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 accepted by the general winning opening 2001 and sub-outlet 2021 provided in the side unit 2200. A game ball B accepted by the sub-outlet 2021 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 accepted by the general winning opening 2001 or sub-outlet 2021 is accepted by the outlet 2020 and discharged outside the game area 5a.

Next, to the right of the central device 2500, there are, in order from top to bottom, a guide passage group 2520, a device winning opening 2006, a regular winning opening 2002, a second starting opening 2004, a large winning opening 2005, and a sub-out opening 2021. A number of obstacle nails are planted between the guide passage group 2520 and the second starting opening 2004.

In the gaming board 5 of this embodiment, when a gaming ball B is hit with enough force to enter above the portion of the upper edge of the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center frame 2511 of the center device 2500 that becomes lower from near the center in the left-right direction toward the right, the gaming ball B flows through either the first guide passage 2521 or the second guide passage 2522 of the guide passage group 2520.

Specifically, when game ball B is hit with enough force to strike the impact stop 1006 protruding inward from the outer rail 1001 that forms part of the periphery of the play area 5a (i.e., a right-handed hit), game ball B that strikes the impact stop 1006 enters the first guide passage 2521. After entering this first guide passage 2521, game ball B rolls on the top surface of the special prize entrance door 2515 that closes the special prize entrance 2006 midway along the first guide passage 2521, and is then released from the right exit at the bottom end of the guide passage group 2520 toward the normal prize entrance unit 2600 below.

On the other hand, when game ball B is shot above the center device 2500 and enters the entrance to the second guide passage 2522 and begins to flow, it is twisted backward and aligned in the front-to-back direction with the first guide passage 2521, and then twisted forward and released from the left exit of the first guide passage 2521 toward the normal winning port unit 2600 below.

The normal winning port 2002 of the normal winning port unit 2600 is located directly below the exit of the first guide passage 2521, so a game ball B that has circulated through the first guide passage 2521 is more likely to be accepted by the normal winning port 2002 than a game ball B that has circulated through the second guide passage 2522.

Game ball B received by normal winning port 2002 is guided to the rear of game panel 1100 and handed over to rear ball guidance unit 3100 of rear unit 3000. It is then detected by normal winning port sensor 3002 and discharged to safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When game ball B is detected by normal winning port sensor 3002, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of balls are added to the player's possession, and if a predetermined condition is met (for example, if the number of reserved normal symbols is less than four), a lottery is held to determine a normal symbol that will allow game ball B to be received by second starting port 2004. The normal symbol thus drawn is also referred to as the normal lottery result.

After being hit to the right into the game area 5a and flowing through the guide passage group 2520, game ball B that was not accepted into the normal winning opening 2002 flows down above the attacca unit 2400 while hitting multiple obstacle pins. When game ball B flows down to the upper shelf 2421 of the attacca unit 2400, it is guided leftward and downward according to the slope of the upper shelf 2421, and is ejected leftward from the attacca unit 2400 without having the opportunity to be accepted into the second starting opening 2004 or the large winning opening 2005. Furthermore, because the downstream end (left end) of the upper shelf 2421 of the attacca unit 2400 is located above the first starting opening 2003, game ball B that has flowed through the upper shelf 2421 may potentially be accepted into the first starting opening 2003.

On the other hand, when a game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400, it rolls to the left due to its inclination, rolls over the top surface of the second starting gate door 2411 and the second shelf 2423, and is then released to the left from the left end of the second shelf 2423. Then, the game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2423 falls onto the third shelf 2424 or the large prize gate door 2413 depending on its momentum, rolls to the left due to their inclination, rolls from the large prize gate door 2413 onto the fourth shelf 2425, and is then released from the fourth shelf 2425 to the left, outside the attacca unit 2400. The game ball B released from the fourth shelf 2425 is received by the outlet 2020.

Furthermore, if game ball B does not flow down onto either the upper shelf 2421 or the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400, but flows down to the right of the first shelf 2422, it will be received by the sub-out port 2021. Even if game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2422, it will be received by the sub-out port 2021 if it enters the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424. Game ball B received by the sub-out port 2021 is handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 without being returned to the game area 5a, and is then discharged into the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

When a game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400, the game ball B rolls on the second starting port door 2411. Therefore, when the game ball B is accepted into the normal winning port 2002, a "normal win" is drawn as a normal symbol (normal lottery result), and the second starting port door 2411 is retracted by the starting port solenoid 2412, opening the second starting port 2004. At this time, when a game ball B flows (rolls) from the first shelf 2422 side, the game ball B is accepted into the second starting port 2004.

After being detected by the second start port sensor 2401, game ball B received by the second start port sensor 2004 is 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. When game ball B is detected by the second start port sensor 2401, a bonus is awarded in which the player's number of balls is increased by a predetermined number, and when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved second special symbols is less than four), a lottery is held for a second special symbol that can create an advantageous game state that is advantageous to the player. The drawn second special symbol is also referred to as the second special lottery result.

Furthermore, after flowing down the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400 and rolling over the second starting gate door 2411 and second shelf 2423, the game ball B rolls over the large prize gate door 2413. Therefore, depending on the first special symbol (first special lottery result) drawn when the game ball B is accepted into the first starting gate 2003, or the second special symbol (second special lottery result) drawn when the game ball B is accepted into the second starting gate 2004 (for example, when the drawn special symbol (special lottery result) is "large win," "medium win," "small win," etc.), when the large prize gate door 2413 is retracted by the attacca solenoid 2414 and the large prize gate 2005 is opened, if a game ball B flows (rolls) from the second shelf 2423 side, the game ball B will be accepted into the large prize gate 2005.

When game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005, it is detected by one of the two large prize opening sensors 2402 located below, guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and then discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When game ball B is detected by the large prize opening sensor 2402, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of balls are added to the player's possession.

When game ball B is received by first starting opening 2003 or second starting opening 2004 and a "perfect prize" is drawn as the first or second special symbol, game prize winning opening 2006 located in the middle of first guide passage 2521 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, and the distribution rotor 2533 of first distribution device 2530 and the distribution pieces 2543 of second distribution device 2540 operate in a predetermined pattern. Therefore, when a "perfect prize" is drawn, game prize winning opening 2006 opens and closes, and the player can perform a "right hit" to allow game ball B to circulate through first guide passage 2521 in which game prize winning opening 2006 is located, so that game ball B can be received by game prize winning opening 2006.

In this embodiment, the probability of a "reward hit" being drawn is higher than that of a "jackpot," and three patterns are set for a "reward hit": "first reward hit," "second reward hit," and "third reward hit." In each pattern, the reward winning opening 2006 opens and closes roughly twice.

First, the opening and closing of the reel winning opening 2006 during each "reel hit" will be described in detail. A "first reel hit" is completed when, after a certain time (3000 ms) has elapsed since the start of execution, the reel winning opening 2006 opens for a short time (80 ms), then closes, and after a short time (1252 ms) has elapsed, it opens again for a short time (80 ms) before closing. A "second reel hit" is completed when, after a certain time (3000 ms) has elapsed since the start of execution, the reel winning opening 2006 opens for a short time (80 ms), then closes, and after a longer time (5420 ms) than the "first reel hit," it opens for a longer time (9414 ms) before closing. For the "third role win", after a certain time (3000 ms) has elapsed since the start of execution, the role win opening 2006 opens for a short time (80 ms), then closes, and after a longer time (19366 ms) than for the "second role win", it opens for a longer time (9404 ms) before closing again and completing the process.

The second opening of the prize winning slot 2006 in the "first prize winning" occurs after the time from the start of execution until the "first prize winning" is completed. Also, the second opening of the prize winning slot 2006 in the "third prize winning" occurs after the time from the start of execution until the "second prize winning" is completed.

In addition, during the second long-time open state in the "second role win" and "third role win", the open state is repeated eight times (80 ms) at regular intervals (1252 ms). In other words, the role winning port 2006 opens and closes (becomes open) twice in the "first role win" and nine times in the "second role win" and "third role win".

Next, the operation of the distribution rotor 2533 of the first distribution device 2530 during a "perfect bonus" is to rotate counterclockwise at the start of execution, and for a predetermined time (3020 ms) the storage section 2533a faces upward, entering the first storage-enabled state. It then rotates clockwise, and faces the storage section 2533a to the right, entering the unstorable state, after which the predetermined time (4560 ms) passes, entering the second storage-enabled state for a longer time (13446 ms) than the first time. After remaining in the unstorable state for a short time (500 ms), it enters the third storage-enabled state for the same time (13446 ms) as the second time, before returning to the unstorable state.

The first accommodating state of this distribution rotor 2533 ends midway through the first open state of the bonus prize winning port 2006 during the "perfect feature", and the distribution rotor 2533 enters an unaccommodating state. Furthermore, the distribution rotor 2533 enters a second accommodating state after the time from the start of execution until the "first bonus feature" is completed. Therefore, during the "first bonus feature" the control of the distribution rotor 2533 ends before the second accommodating state is entered, and the second and third accommodating states are not executed. The second accommodating state of this distribution rotor 2533 begins before the second open state of the bonus prize winning port 2006 during the "second bonus feature" and the distribution rotor 2533 enters an unaccommodating state after the second open state becomes a closed state.

The distribution rotor 2533 also enters the third storage state after the time from the start of execution until the completion of the "second role hit." Therefore, during the "second role hit," control of the distribution rotor 2533 ends before the third storage state is reached, and the third storage state is not executed. In other words, the distribution rotor 2533 enters the storage state once during the "first role hit," twice during the "second role hit," and three times during the "third role hit." The third storage state of this distribution rotor 2533 begins before the second opening of the role winning port 2006 during the "third role hit," and it enters the non-storage state after the second opening state ends and the closing state is reached.

Next, when a "hit" occurs, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 moves forward at the same time as the start of execution, closing the second slot opening 2541 for a predetermined time (3020 ms), entering a first closed state (a state in which distribution to the first V winning slot 2007 is possible), then moves backward, opening the second slot opening 2541 (a state in which distribution to the lottery device 2550 is possible), and after a predetermined time (23006 ms) has passed, it enters a second closed state for a time (13446 ms) longer than the first open state, before returning to the open state.

The first closed state of this distribution piece 2543 ends partway through the first open state of the prize winning opening 2006 in the "winning combination" and then becomes open. Furthermore, the second closing state of the distribution piece 2543 in the second distribution device 2540 begins partway through the second open state of the prize winning opening 2006 in the "third winning combination," and after the second open state of the prize winning opening 2006 becomes closed, the distribution piece 2543 changes from closed to open. Therefore, in the second distribution device 2540, the second closing state of the distribution piece 2543 is executed only in the "third winning combination," and the second closing state of the distribution piece 2543 is not executed in the "first winning combination" or "second winning combination."

For this reason, in the "first role win," the role winning port 2006 opens and closes twice in a short period of time, so it is unlikely that game ball B circulating through the first guide passage 2521 due to a "right hit" will be accepted by the role winning port 2006. Furthermore, in the "second role win" and "third role win," the first opening state of the role winning port 2006 is also short, so it is unlikely that game ball B will be accepted by the role winning port 2006. Furthermore, because the time during which the first storage-capable state of the distribution rotor 2533 in the first distribution device 2530 overlaps with the first open state of the device winning port 2006 during a "perfect bonus" is shorter than the time during which the device winning port 2006 is first open, it is even less likely that a game ball B received by the device winning port 2006 when it is first open will be stored in the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533. Furthermore, because the time at which the first storage-capable state of the distribution rotor 2533 ends and the first closed state of the distribution piece 2543 in the second distribution device 2540 end is the same, a game ball B stored in the storage section 2533a when the distribution rotor 2533 is first stored will not be sorted toward the first V winning port 2007.

On the other hand, the second open state of the device winning opening 2006 in the "second device win" and "third device win" takes a long time, so there is a high possibility that game ball B will be received into the device winning opening 2006 through the first guide passage 2521. At this time, the distribution rotor 2533 of the first distribution device 2530 becomes capable of receiving balls before the device winning opening 2006 opens, and then becomes unable to receive balls after the device winning opening 2006 changes from the open state to the closed state. Therefore, there is a high possibility that game ball B received into the device winning opening 2006 during the second open state will be received in the receiving section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533.

In this way, in this example, not only is it unlikely that game ball B will be accepted by the device winning port 2006 when the device winning port 2006 is in its first open state in the "second device winning" and "third device winning", but it is even less likely that game ball B accepted by the device winning port 2006 when the device winning port 2006 is in its first open state will be accommodated in the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533. However, at the same time as the device winning game state begins to be executed, the distribution rotor 2533 rotates counterclockwise to place the storage section 2533a in an upwardly facing, capable of being accommodated, and after having the storage section 2533a facing upward for a predetermined period (3020 ms), it rotates clockwise to place the storage section 2533a in an unacceptable, capable of being accommodated, facing to the right. In other words, immediately after the start of a game state where a per-game feature is played, it is unlikely that the distribution rotor 2533 will distribute game ball B to the chance hole 2531, but the distribution rotor 2533 will perform an operation to distribute game ball B to the chance hole 2531, thereby indicating the distribution operation by the distribution rotor 2533 in advance.

Similarly, immediately after the start of the per-game feature game state, the distribution rotor 2533 is unlikely to distribute game ball B to the chance opening 2531, but at the same time as the start of the per-game feature game state, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 extends forward to close the second slot opening 2541, making it possible to distribute game ball B to the first V winning opening 2007, and after a predetermined time (3020 ms) has elapsed, it retreats and opens the second slot opening 2541, making it possible to distribute game ball B to the lottery feature 2550. In other words, immediately after the start of the per-game feature game state, the distribution piece 2543 is unlikely to distribute game ball B to the first V winning opening 2007, so the distribution operation by the distribution piece 2543 is performed to distribute game ball B to the first V winning opening 2007, thereby indicating in advance the distribution operation by the distribution piece 2543.

In this example, the distribution rotor 2533 and distribution piece 2543 operate simultaneously with the start of the per-reel game state, i.e., during the performance of the performance at the start of the per-reel game state (the opening performance of the per-reel game state, in which an explanation of the game in the per-reel game state is given, such as "Aim for the per-reel winning slot 2006"). After the operation of the distribution rotor 2533 and distribution piece 2543, the per-reel winning slot 2006 opens for the first time. This reduces the possibility of the distribution rotor 2533 distributing game ball B to the chance slot 2531 and the distribution piece 2543 distributing game ball B to the second spurt slot 2541. Furthermore, if there is no possibility, or an extremely low possibility, of the distribution rotor 2533 distributing game ball B to the chance hole 2531 side and the distribution piece 2543 distributing game ball B to the second spurt hole 2541 side, then the prize winning hole 2006 may be opened for the first time simultaneously with the operation of the distribution rotor 2533 and the distribution piece 2543.

Also, only one of the distribution rotor 2533 and the distribution piece 2543 may be operated in advance, while the other is not. That is, some of the multiple movable parts (distribution rotor 2533, distribution piece 2543) that distribute game ball B that has entered the device winning slot 2006 may be operated in advance to perform the distribution operation, while the other movable parts may not be operated in advance. For example, the distribution piece 2543, which has a high probability of causing game ball B to enter the V winning slot (in this example, the first V winning slot 2007) when activated (high V winning expectation), may not be operated in advance, and only the distribution rotor 2533, which has a lower probability of causing game ball B to enter the V winning slot (in this example, the second V winning slot 2008) than the distribution piece 2543 (low V winning expectation), may be operated in advance. This allows players to know in advance some of the allocation destinations of game ball B that has entered the bonus prize slot 2006, but the other allocation destinations remain unknown. When the other allocation destinations are revealed, the player is surprised by the increased number of allocation destinations, which increases their sense of anticipation. It also allows players to focus on the game ball B that is being allocated and enjoy its movement, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, by not operating the moving part (distribution piece 2543) with a high probability of winning a V prize in advance, its existence is concealed, leading the player to believe that game ball B will enter lottery device 2550. When a "third role hit" is executed, the moving part (distribution piece 2543) with a high probability of winning a V prize is activated, causing game ball B to enter the V prize slot (first V prize slot 2007 in this example), adding an element of surprise and increasing the player's interest in the game by game ball B entering an unexpected allocation destination. Furthermore, the allocation to first V prize slot 2007 is concealed, leading the player to believe that there are only two allocation destinations: first slot slot 2532 and lottery device 2550. This prevents the player from being disappointed even if a "second role hit" with a lower probability of winning a V prize than a "third role hit" is executed and game ball B is allocated to lottery device 2550.

In addition, in this example, the distribution rotor 2533 is positioned in a manner that allows it to be easily seen by the player, whereas the distribution piece 2543 is flat and moves back and forth on the gaming board 5, with a small front surface area, making it difficult for the player to notice its operation. Furthermore, the passage on the side of the first V winning slot 2007, which becomes accessible when the distribution piece 2543 protrudes forward, is difficult for the player to notice. Therefore, when a "third role hit" occurs, the distribution piece 2543 moves and game ball B enters the first V winning slot 2007, making it difficult for the player to notice the behavior of game ball B, and it is possible to give the player the sensation of a sudden V winning and a 15R jackpot being executed, without the player realizing that game ball B has entered the first V winning slot 2007.

In addition, by operating the distribution rotor 2533 in advance during the opening performance of the winning combination game state, in addition to the instructions in the opening performance, such as "aim for the winning combination game slot 2006," the operation of the distribution rotor 2533 also allows the player to easily recognize the destination of the shot, i.e., the position to aim for during the winning combination game state.

When the "winning combination" is drawn as described above and combination winning port 2006 opens, game ball B that has flowed down first guide passage 2521 is received by combination winning port 2006, detected by combination winning port sensor 2501, and then sent to first distribution device 2530. When combination winning port sensor 2501 detects game ball B, a bonus is awarded, such as adding a predetermined number of balls to the player's possession.

Of the "hits," in the "second hit," when the hit is generated, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 is open when the hit is generated and the distribution rotor 2533 rotates from a storage state to an unstorage state. As a result, the game ball B stored in the storage section 2533a flows down through the chance port 2531 toward the second distribution device 2540, flows from the second slot port 2541 through the lottery guide passage 2545, is detected by the lottery hit sensor 2546, and is then sent to the lottery hit 2550.

In the lottery device 2550, the distribution bridge 2557, which is in the non-loop position, is set to the loop position. For example, when the distribution piece 2543 in the second distribution device 2540 retreats, opening the second suction port 2541, the distribution bridge 2557 is set to the loop position. Then, game ball B sent from the second distribution device 2540 to the lottery device 2550 rolls to the left on the guide path 2551, passes through the distribution bridge 2557 in the loop position, and is sent to the striking section 2553. Then, game ball B sent to the striking section 2553 is struck by the striking piece 2560, which is rotating at high speed, and is supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554 located at the rear center of the table 2555, from which it is released onto the table 2555.

When game ball B is released onto table 2555, it rolls forward due to its inclination and is either received by second V winning opening 2008 located at the front center of table 2555, or released forward (guideway 2551) from the front edge of table 2555. If distribution bridge 2557 is still in the loop position when game ball B is released forward from the front edge of table 2555, game ball B will pass through distribution bridge 2557 and be supplied to striking section 2553. Therefore, when distribution bridge 2557 is in the loop position, game ball B will loop around striking section 2553, oscillating gutter 2554, table 2555, and guideway 2551 in that order until it is received by second V winning opening 2008.

Then, the lottery for a V prize at the lottery device 2550 ends when either game ball B is received by the second V prize opening 2008, or game ball B is received by the loss opening 2009, which is opened when the distribution bridge 2557 moves to the non-loop position after a predetermined time has passed.

A game ball B received into the second V winning opening 2008 is detected by the second V winning opening sensor 2503 and then discharged via the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the lower circulating ball path unit 600. On the other hand, a game ball B received into the losing opening 2009 is detected by the losing opening sensor 2504 and then discharged via the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the lower circulating ball path unit 600. When a game ball B is detected by the second V winning opening sensor 2503, a bonus is awarded in which the large winning opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern.

Incidentally, in the "third role hit," when the role winning port 2006 is opened for the second time, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 is closed, and therefore when the distribution rotor 2533 rotates from the accommodating state to the unaccommodating state, the game ball B accommodated in the storage section 2533a passes through the chance port 2531, abuts against the upper surface of the closed distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540, is guided to the right, and enters (is accepted by) the first V winning port 2007. After being detected by the first V winning port sensor 2502, the game ball B is discharged via the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 to the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When game ball B is detected by the first V winning opening sensor 2502, a special bonus is awarded in which the large winning opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern.

In this embodiment, during the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol, which opens and closes the large prize slot 2005 and the accessory prize slot 2006 to create a favorable game state in which the player has an advantage, the first start slot 2003 is always open to receive game ball B, while the second start slot 2004 is only able to receive game ball B in a predetermined pattern when the normal lottery, which is drawn when game ball B is received by the normal prize slot 2002, results in a "normal win." This makes it more likely that game ball B will be received by the first start slot 2003 than by the second start slot 2004.

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 received by the first starting opening 2003. 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 the pachinko machine 1 using game ball B and increasing the anticipation of game ball B being received by the first starting opening 2003.

When game ball B is accepted into first starting opening 2003 and a "win" (for example, a "small win," "medium win," "big win," "reel win," etc.) is selected as the lottery result for the first special pattern, large prize opening 2005 or reel prize opening 2006 will open and close in a predetermined pattern, allowing the player to enjoy hitting game ball B to the right of center reel 2500 (so-called "right hit") so that game ball B can be accepted into large prize opening 2005 or reel prize opening 2006, and increasing the player's anticipation for game ball B to be accepted into large prize opening 2005 or reel prize opening 2006.

When hitting game ball B to the right side of the center device 2500, a guide passage group 2520 consisting of a first guide passage 2521 and a second guide passage 2522 is provided on the right side of the center device 2500. 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.

In addition, a normal winning opening 2002 is provided to the right of the center device 2500. When game ball B is received by normal winning opening 2002, a normal lottery is held to determine whether second starting opening 2004 is open. This allows players to enjoy not only whether game ball B shot into the right side passes through normal winning opening 2002, but also whether game ball B is accepted by second starting opening 2004 when it becomes open. In this case, because normal winning opening 2002 is located directly below the exit of first guide passage 2521 in guide passage group 2520, players can enjoy the operation of shooting game ball B aimed at first guide passage 2521.

Furthermore, one game ball B received by the device winning port 2006 and selected by the first sorting device 2530 is sorted by the second sorting device 2540 to either the first V winning port 2007 or the second spurt port 2541, making the player feel anxious and excited depending on whether the game ball B is sorted to the first V winning port 2007. Even if the game ball B is sorted to the second spurt port 2541 by the second sorting device 2540, the game ball B is supplied to the lottery device 2550, which is prominently located in the lower center of the center device 2500, creating anticipation for the game ball B to be received by the second V winning port 2008 by the lottery device 2550. Thereafter, the player can be excited again depending on whether or not game ball B rolling on table 2555 of lottery device 2550 is received by second V winning slot 2008, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

When game ball B is received into the first V winning slot 2007 or the second V winning slot 2008, or when game ball B is received into the first starting slot 2003 and the second starting slot 2004 and a "jackpot" is drawn as the first and second special symbols, the large winning slot 2005 of the attakka unit 2400 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, providing an opportunity for many game balls B to be added to the number of balls held. Therefore, game ball B can be aimed at the right side of the center device 2500 so that game ball B can be received into the large winning slot 2005 that is opening and closing, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

[8-10. Overall configuration of the rear unit]
Next, the overall configuration of the back unit 3000 in the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 100 and 101. The back unit 3000 is equipped with a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 111) that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1), a general winning opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the general winning opening 2001 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, and a regular winning opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the regular winning opening 2002 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100. The general winning opening sensor 3001 and the regular winning opening sensor 3002 are provided in the back 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.

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 decoration unit 3200, which is located behind the rear ball guide unit 3100 within the rear box 3010; a rear front performance unit 3300, which is located to the left and above the rear ball guide unit 3100 near the front end within the rear box 3010; and a rear rear performance unit 3400, which is located behind the rear front performance unit 3300 within the rear box 3010.

The rear ball guide unit 3100 is attached to the front of the rear decorative unit 3200. The rear decorative unit 3200 is attached to the front of the rear wall of the rear box 3010 via an attachment support (not shown). The left end of the rear front performance unit 3300 is attached near the front end of the rear box 3010, and its right end is attached to the front of the right end of the rear rear performance unit 3400. The upper part of the rear rear performance unit 3400 is attached to the front of the rear wall of the rear box 3010 via an attachment support (not shown), and its lower part is attached to the rear decorative unit 3200.

The back decoration unit 3200, back front performance unit 3300, and back rear performance unit 3400 in the back unit 3000 are capable of showing the player predetermined moving and light-emitting effects as the game progresses.

[8-10a. Back box]
Next, the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 100 and 101. The rear box 3010 is attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100 (panel holder 1120), and 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 formed to be transparent. This allows the interior to be seen from the outside even when assembled to the game 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 rectangular 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 liquid crystal spacer 1610 (a 19-inch liquid crystal display device).

The upper fixed piece 1611 of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, to which the performance display device 1600 is attached, is inserted from below into the two fixing grooves 3010c of the rear box 3010. Furthermore, the lower fixed piece 1612 of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, to which the performance display device 1600 is attached, can be inserted from behind 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 1612 of the liquid crystal spacer 1610 inserted into the locking mechanism 3010d, sliding the locking slider 3020 to the right when viewed from the rear prevents the locking slider 3020 from moving rearward, allowing the liquid crystal spacer 1610 (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 supports 3010f and a locking member 3010g, allowing the rear board unit 3040 to be attached to the rear side across the opening 3010a (LCD spacer 1610 and performance display device 1600). When assembled onto the gaming 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 when viewed from the rear. 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 liquid crystal spacer 1610 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 axis portion 3041a. This allows the liquid crystal spacer 1610, and thus the performance 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 functional hole sections, each consisting of a pair of two through-holes aligned vertically or horizontally, on the surface facing the front-to-rear direction excluding the fixed piece section 3010e, and a functional surface section facing the front-to-rear direction that can be used when assembling the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). The two through-holes in the functional hole sections have the same diameter. The functional hole sections are intended for attaching a performance unit to the rear box 3010 directly or via an attachment supporter.

[8-10b. Back ball guidance unit]
Next, the rear ball guide unit 3100 in the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 100 etc. The rear ball guide unit 3100 is provided in the lower part near the front end inside the rear box 3010, and is attached to the rear box 3010 via a rear decorative unit 3200. The rear ball guide unit 3100 is equipped with a general winning opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001, a regular winning opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B received in the regular winning opening 2002, and a plurality of magnetic sensors 1030 that can detect illicit magnetism acting within the game area 5a.

The back ball guide unit 3100 can receive game balls B received in the general winning port 2001, normal winning port 2002, first starting port 2003, second starting port 2004, large winning port 2005, first V winning port 2007, second V winning port 2008, losing port 2009, and first missing port 2532 in the front unit 2000 at the rear of the game panel 1100, guide them toward the center in the left-right direction, and then discharge them into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the lower circulation ball path unit 600. The back ball guide unit 3100 can also receive game balls B received in the out port 2020 and sub-out port 2021 in the front unit 2000 at the rear of the game panel 1100, guide them toward the center in the left-right direction, and then discharge them into the out ball receiving port 600a of the lower circulation ball path unit 600.

[8-10c. Back decoration unit]
Next, the rear decorative unit 3200 in the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 100 and 101. The rear decorative unit 3200 is provided behind the rear ball guide unit 3100 inside the rear box 3010, and is attached to the front of the rear wall of the rear box 3010 via an attachment supporter. A vibration sensor 1040 is attached to the rear decorative unit 3200. The rear ball guide unit 3100 is attached to the front of this rear decorative unit 3200.

When assembled to the game board 5, the rear decorative unit 3200 comprises a rear bottom left decorative body 3210 and a rear bottom right decorative body 3220 that decorate the rear of the left and right outer sides of the lottery device 2550 in the center device 2500, and a rear bottom left decorative board and a rear bottom right decorative board (not shown) on which multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate and decorate the rear bottom left decorative body 3210 and the rear bottom right decorative body 3220, respectively.

The lower-left decorative body 3210 and the lower-right decorative body 3220 are translucent, and each has multiple projections and depressions on its upper surface that resemble a miniature town. The lower-left decorative board and the lower-right decorative board are provided below the lower-left decorative body 3210 and the lower-right decorative body 3220, respectively, and have multiple LEDs (full-color LEDs) mounted on their upper surfaces. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs mounted on the lower-left decorative board and the lower-right decorative board, the lower-left decorative body 3210 and the lower-right decorative body 3220 can be made to emit light.

[8-10d. Backstage Production Unit]
Next, the back front performance unit 3300 in the back unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 96 to 98 and 100. The back front performance unit 3300 is provided to the left and above the back ball guide unit 3100 near the front end of the back box 3010, with its left end attached near the front end of the back box 3010 and its right end attached to the right end side of the back rear performance unit 3400.

The back-front performance unit 3300 comprises a back-front left decorative body 3301, which is a long, flat plate located on the left end, a back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 which is located to the right of the back-front left decorative body 3301 and can be raised and lowered, and a back-front lifting mechanism 3350 for raising and lowering the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310.

The left-front-back decorative body 3301 of the left-front-back performance unit 3300 is provided with a magnetic sensor 1030 located downward from the center in the vertical direction. The left-front-back decorative body 3301 extends vertically for a length roughly equal to the overall height inside the rear box 3010, and is translucent. Behind the left-front-back decorative body 3301 is a left-front-back decorative board (not shown) with multiple LEDs mounted on the front surface. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs on this left-front-back decorative board, the left-front-back decorative body can be illuminated.

The rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is elongated in the left-right direction. The rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 comprises a rear-front lifting base 3311 in the form of a transparent flat plate that is elongated in the left-right direction; a rear-front central decorative body 3320 that is attached to the front center of the rear-front lifting base 3311 and has a performance count display unit 3005; a rear-front central-left decorative body 3330 that is attached to the left of the rear-front central decorative body 3320 on the front of the rear-front lifting base 3311; and a rear-front central-right decorative body 3340 that is attached to the right of the rear-front central decorative body 3320 on the front of the rear-front lifting base 3311.

The rear front central decorative body 3320 comprises a rear front central decorative part 3321 formed in a predetermined three-dimensional shape, a rear front central decorative board (not shown) mounted on multiple LEDs and located behind the rear front central decorative part 3321, and a rear front central base 3323 that supports the rear front central decorative board and rear front central decorative part 3321 from the rear and is attached to the rear front lift base 3311. The rear front central decorative part 3321 has a section that three-dimensionally resembles a pine tree design, and this section is equipped with a performance count display part 3005 consisting of four 7-segment displays. The performance count display part 3005 uses some of the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front central decorative board.

The back-front middle-left decorative body 3330 comprises a translucent back-front middle-left decorative part 3331 formed in a relief shape resembling the head of a specified character, a back-front middle-left decorative board (not shown) mounted on multiple LEDs and located behind the back-front middle-left decorative part 3331, and a back-front middle-left base 3333 that supports the back-front middle-left decorative board and back-front middle-left decorative part 3331 from behind and is attached to the back-front lift base 3311. The back-front middle-left decorative body 3330 can illuminate the back-front middle-left decorative part 3331 by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the back-front middle-left decorative board.

The back-front-center-right decorative body 3340 comprises a translucent back-front-center-right decorative part 3341 formed in a relief shape resembling the head of a specified character, a back-front-center-right decorative board (not shown) mounted with multiple LEDs and located behind the back-front-center-right decorative part 3341, and a back-front-center-right base 3343 that supports the back-front-center-right decorative board and back-front-center-right decorative part 3341 from behind and is attached to the back-front lift base 3311. The back-front-center-right decorative body 3340 can illuminate the back-front-center-right decorative part 3341 by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the back-front-center-right decorative board.

The back-front lifting mechanism 3350 comprises a back-front left lifting rail (not shown) located behind the back-front left decorative body 3301 and supporting the left end of the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 so that it can be raised and lowered; a back-front right lifting rail 3352 located behind the back-front left decorative body 3301 and supporting the right end of the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 so that it can be raised and lowered; and a back-front lifting drive unit (not shown) located behind the back-front left decorative body 3301 for raising and lowering the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310. The back-front lifting mechanism 3350 also comprises a drop solenoid for dropping the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 from its elevated standby position, and a back-front lifting drive motor for raising the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 from its downward dropped performance position to its upper standby position.

When assembled to the gaming board 5, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 of the rear-front performance unit 3300 is arranged so that it can be seen from the front through the frame of the center role device 2500. In the normal state, the rear-front performance unit 3300 is positioned in a standby position, which is the upper end of its movement, and is prevented from falling downward by the engagement of a locking claw. In the normal state, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 is positioned near the top of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, as shown in Figure 96, etc.

In addition, when the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 of the rear-front performance unit 3300 is in its normal standby position, the rear-rear lifting decoration unit of the rear-rear performance unit 3400 is located in a retracted position behind it, making the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 invisible from the front.

When the rear-front lifting drive motor moves the lifting slider downward from the normal state of the rear-front performance unit 3300, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 can be dropped from the standby position to the lower performance position. Then, when the drop solenoid releases the locking claw from this state, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 falls freely toward the standby position. When the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 has dropped to the performance position, it is located above the lottery device 2550 of the center device 2500 and slightly below the vertical center of the play area 5a.

When the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 falls and assumes its performance position, the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410, located in the retracted position of the rear-rear performance unit 3400 at the rear, becomes visible from the front. This not only surprises the player, but also makes them think that something good is about to happen (that a chance has arrived).

In addition, a damper is provided at the bottom of the back-front lifting mechanism 3350 to absorb or mitigate the impact caused by the falling back-front lifting decorative unit 3310.

After dropping to the performance position, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 rises to an upper standby position as the rear-front lifting drive motor moves the lifting slider upward, and the locking claw automatically engages, returning it to the standby position.

This back-front performance unit 3300 has a performance count display section 3005 consisting of four 7-segment displays on the back-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (back-front central decorative body 3320). Therefore, by executing a countdown display in which the numbers displayed on the performance count display section 3005 decrease, the player can see a countdown performance in which the back-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 falls. Note that in the countdown performance, the back-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 may be moved to a lower appearance position without dropping the back-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310, or the back-rear rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 may be dropped and the back-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 may be moved to a lower appearance position.

[8-10e. Backstage Production Unit]
Next, the rear-back performance unit 3400 in the rear unit 3000 will be explained mainly with reference to Figures 100 and 101. The rear-back performance unit 3400 is provided behind the front-back performance unit 3300 inside the rear box 3010, with its upper part attached to the rear wall of the rear box 3010 via an attachment supporter and its lower part attached to the rear decorative unit 3200. The rear-back performance unit 3400 is equipped with a rear-back lifting decorative body 3410 that is long from side to side, and a rear-back lifting mechanism 3450 for lifting and lowering the rear-back lifting decorative body 3410.

The rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 in the rear-rear performance unit 3400 comprises a rear-rear lifting decorative section 3411 that is translucent and extends from side to side; a rear-rear lifting decorative board (not shown) mounted with multiple LEDs and located behind the rear-rear lifting decorative section 3411; and a rear-rear lifting base (not shown) that supports the rear-rear lifting decorative board and the rear-rear lifting decorative section from the rear and is raised and lowered by the rear-rear lifting mechanism 3450. The rear-rear lifting decorative section 3411 comprises a logo section 3411a that is applied along its entire length in the left-right direction and consists of a predetermined logo; and a character section 3411b that is provided in relief above the logo section 3411a and has multiple characters different from those on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 lined up on the left and right. The rear-rear lifting decorative section 3411 can be illuminated by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the rear-rear lifting decorative board.

The rear-rear lifting mechanism 3450 in the rear-rear performance unit 3400 comprises a U-shaped rear-rear base 3451 that opens downwards, a translucent, flat-plate-shaped rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 that is provided on the front of the upper edge of the rear-rear base 3451, and a rear-rear fixed decorative board 3453 that is provided between the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 and the rear-rear base 3451 and has multiple LEDs mounted on it. The rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 is formed to be approximately the same length in the left-right direction as the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410, and has a predetermined pattern applied to its front. The rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 can be illuminated and decorated by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the rear-rear fixed decorative board 3453.

In addition, although not shown, the rear lifting mechanism 3450 has a rear left rail that is provided on the left side of the rear base 3451 and supports the left end of the rear lifting decorative body 3410 so that it can be raised and lowered, a rear right rail that is provided on the right side of the rear base 3451 and supports the right end of the rear lifting decorative body 3410 so that it can be raised and lowered, and a rear lifting drive unit that is provided on the left side of the rear base and used to raise and lower the rear lifting decorative body 3410.

The rear lifting drive unit has a rear lifting drive motor, and by driving the rear lifting drive motor, the rear lifting decorative body 3410 can be raised and lowered between a retracted position, which is the upper end of its movement, and an emerging position, which is the lower end of its movement, and the rear lifting decorative body 3410 can be stopped at any position between the retracted position and the emerging position.

In the normal state of the rear-rear performance unit 3400, the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is in a retracted position, which is the upper end of its movement. In this state, the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is positioned in front of the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 of the rear-rear lifting mechanism 3450. Therefore, the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 is hidden from view from the front by the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 in the retracted position.

When assembled on the game board 5, this rear performance unit 3400 is located behind the front performance unit 3300. Therefore, under normal conditions, the front lifting decoration unit 3310, which is the standby position for the front performance unit 3300, is located in front of the rear lifting decoration unit 3410, and is hidden by the front lifting decoration unit 3310 and cannot be seen from the front.

When the rear-rear performance unit 3400 moves the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 from its normal state to the appearance position, which is the lower end of its movement, by driving the rear-rear lifting drive motor of the rear-rear lifting mechanism 3450, it is positioned lower than the front-rear lifting decoration unit 3310 in its standby position and slightly above the vertical center of the game area 5a. This makes the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 visible to the player.

Even when the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is moved downward from the retracted position, when the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is in the standby position, the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is positioned in front of the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452, so the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 cannot be seen from the front. Therefore, when the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is moved downward from the retracted position (appearance position) and the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is dropped from the standby position to the lower performance position, the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 becomes visible from the front for the first time. This gives a sense of premium quality to the visibility of the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452.

When the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is moved to the downward appearance position and the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is dropped to its performance position, the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is positioned in front of the logo section 3411a of the rear-rear lifting decorative part 3411 of the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410, hiding the logo section 3411a, and the character section 3411b, which has multiple characters lined up, faces forward from above the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (see Figure 110).

When the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 has been moved to the appearance position, the rear-rear lifting drive motor of the rear-rear lifting mechanism 3450 can be reversed to lift the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 and return it to the retracted position.

[8-11. Game board effects]
Next, the effects of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 107 to 110. Figure 107 is a front view of the game board shown in its normal state. Figure 108 is a front view of the game board shown in a state in which the back-front ascent and descent decoration unit of the back-front effect unit has been dropped from its standby position to its effect position from its normal state. Figure 109 is a front view of the game board shown in a state in which the back-rear ascent and descent decoration of the back-rear effect unit has been moved from its retracted position to its appearing position from its normal state. Figure 110 is a front view of the game board shown in a state in which the back-front ascent and descent decoration unit of the back-front effect unit has been dropped from its standby position to its effect position and the back-rear ascent and descent decoration of the back-rear effect unit has been moved from its retracted position to its appearing position from its normal state.

As shown in Figure 107, the game board 5 of this embodiment is designed so that the display screen of the back unit 3000 and the effect display device 1600 located at the rear are visible primarily through the frame of the center role device 2500. This game board 5 is always visible through the frame of the center role device 2500, near its bottom edge, with the lottery role device 2550 and the back lower left decoration 3210 and back lower right decoration 3220 of the back decoration unit 3200 located on the left and right sides of it, and the back front left decoration 3301 of the back front effect unit 3300 is always visible near the left edge within the frame of the center role device 2500.

In the normal state of the game board 5, the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 of the back-front performance unit 3300 of the back unit 3000 has moved to the standby position, which is the upper end of its movement, and the back-rear lifting decoration 3410 of the back-rear performance unit 3400 has moved to the retracted position, which is the upper end of its movement. The back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 that has moved to the standby position is visible facing forward near the upper edge of the frame of the center gimmick 2500. The back-rear lifting decoration 3410 that has moved to the retracted position is located behind the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 at the same height as the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 in the standby position, and is hidden by the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 and cannot be seen from the front.

In addition, under normal conditions, the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is located in a retracted position in front of the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 of the rear-rear performance unit 3400, and further in front of that is the front-rear lifting decorative body unit 3310 in a standby position, which hides it and makes it invisible from the front.

In this normal state, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 has moved to an upper standby position, so the performance count display unit 3005 provided on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (rear front central decorative unit 3320) is located above the center of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, and is visible to the player without interfering with the performance image displayed on the performance display device 1600.

The gaming board 5 of this embodiment can execute the effect shown in FIG. 108 using the rear-front effect unit 3300 of the rear unit 3000. In this effect, in the normal state where the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 has moved to the upper standby position, the rear-front lifting mechanism 3350 moves the lifting slider to the lower end using the rear-front lifting drive motor, and then the drop solenoid releases the locking claw, causing the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 to freely fall to the effect position. When the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 has fallen to the effect position, the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is located above the lottery device 2550 of the center device 2500 and slightly below the vertical center of the gaming area 5a, thereby obscuring the vertical center of the display screen of the effect display device 1600. Additionally, when the rear front lifting decoration unit 3310 falls to the performance position, the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 in the retracted position of the rear rear performance unit 3400 becomes visible near the top edge within the frame of the center role device 2500. As a result, the rear front lifting decoration unit 3310 falls freely, surprising the player and making the player think that something good is about to happen (that a chance has arrived).

Next, the gaming board 5 can execute a performance such as that shown in FIG. 109 using the rear rear performance unit 3400 of the rear unit 3000. In this performance, while the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 is in its normal state, moving to its upper retracted position, the rear rear lifting drive motor of the rear rear lifting mechanism 3450 moves the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 to its lower limit of movement, placing it in its appearance position. This makes the rear rear lifting decoration 3410, which was previously invisible due to the rear front lifting decoration unit 3310, visible, surprising the player and making them believe that their chance has arrived, heightening their anticipation for the game. Furthermore, when the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 moves to the appearance position, it is positioned approximately in the vertical center of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, allowing the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 to divide the display screen into upper and lower halves, allowing the player to see a performance in which the performance image is physically divided into upper and lower halves.

In addition, as a performance using the rear-end performance unit 3400, the rear-end lifting decoration 3410 can be moved to any height between the retracted position and the emerging position by the rear-end lifting drive motor, so as a preview performance, the rear-end lifting decoration 3410 can be moved slightly downward from the retracted position or vibrated up and down.

Next, the gaming board 5 can use both the rear front performance unit 3300 and the rear rear performance unit 3400 of the rear unit 3000 to perform the performance shown in FIG. 110. In this performance, the rear front lifting decoration unit 3310 is dropped from its standby position to its performance position, and the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 is moved downward from its retracted position to its appearing position. This creates a state in which the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is covered by the rear front lifting decoration unit 3310 and the rear rear lifting decoration 3410, making a strong impact on the player. Furthermore, the rear rear fixed decoration 3452 located above the display screen, which was previously invisible, can now be seen, providing the player with a premium feel and heightening anticipation for the occurrence of an advantageous gaming state (e.g., a jackpot) that gives the player an advantage.

In this performance, the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 and the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 may be moved downward at the same time, or the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 may be dropped first and then the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 may be moved downward, or the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 may be moved downward first and then the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 may be dropped.

In addition, the gaming board 5 has a performance count display unit 3005 that is always visible from the front of the rear unit 3000, so that performances can be executed using this performance count display unit 3005. For example, a countdown display in which the numbers displayed on the performance count display unit 3005 decrease moment by moment can be used to count down the timing for the rear front lift-up decoration unit 3310 to fall or the rear rear lift-up decoration unit 3410 to move downward. Alternatively, for example, the detection of game ball B by the lottery device ball entry sensor 2546 can be used to count down the time until game ball B can no longer loop in the lottery device 2550.

Furthermore, the effect count display unit 3005 may be configured to display (suggest) as a number the degree of expectation for the special pattern drawn by the acceptance of game ball B into the first start opening 2003 or the second start opening 2004. Alternatively, since the effect count display unit 3005 has four 7-segment displays, the effect pattern may be formed by combining the illumination of each segment, and the effect pattern may be displayed in a variable manner and then stopped, with the degree of expectation being suggested by the effect pattern that is displayed in a stopped state.

9. Control Configuration
Next, the control configuration for various controls of the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 68 and Fig. 111. Fig. 111 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the pachinko machine. Note that Fig. 111 omits some of the electronic components connected to the frame control board 740, such as sensors, solenoids, motors, and LEDs.

As shown in the figure, the main control configuration of the pachinko machine 1 consists of a main control board 1310 and a peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5, and a frame control board 740 attached to the main body frame 4, with each board performing its own control function. The main control board 1310 controls the game operation (progress of the game). The peripheral control board 1510 is equipped with a peripheral control unit 1511 that controls various effects during gameplay 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.

[9-1. 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 1311 for displaying the number of game balls B collected by the outlet 2020 and sub-outlet 2021 provided in the game area 5a defined 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 frame control board 740, so only the main control board 1310 (main control MPU) restarts, and the frame control board 740 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 by the first start opening 2003, a second start opening sensor 2401 that detects a game ball B received by the second start opening 2004, a general winning opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B received by the general winning opening 2001, a regular winning opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B received by the regular winning opening 2002, a large winning opening sensor 2402 that detects a game ball B received by the large winning opening 2005, a special winning opening sensor 2501 that detects a game ball B received by the special winning opening 2006, a special winning opening sensor 2501 that detects a game ball B received by the first V winning opening 2007, Detection signals from the first V entry sensor 2502 that detects an inserted game ball B, the second V entry sensor 2503 that detects a game ball B received in the second V entry sensor 2008, the loss sensor 2504 that detects a game ball B received in the loss sensor 2009, the out ball sensor 605 that detects a game ball B ejected from the game board 5, the safe ball sensor 606, 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 via the main control input circuit to the input terminal of a specified input port of the main control MPU.

In addition, the detection signal from the door open switch 507 and the detection signal from the frame open switch 508 are input to the main control board 1310 via the frame control board 740, 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 ball sensor 605, first start opening sensor 2101, and second start opening sensor 2401 are input directly to the main control board 1310, without passing through any 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 opening sensor 3001, regular prize opening sensor 3002, special prize opening sensor 2402, special prize opening sensor 2501, first V prize opening sensor 2502, second V prize opening sensor 2503, losing opening sensor 2504, 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 specified output port to the main control solenoid drive circuit, which indirectly outputs drive signals to the start port solenoid 2412, attacca solenoid 2414, special device winning port solenoid 2516, first distribution solenoid 2534, second distribution solenoid 2544, lottery loop solenoid 2558, striking piece drive motor 2561, gutter swing drive motor 2564 and swing piece solenoid 2565 via the panel relay board, i.e. indirectly, and outputs drive signals from the output terminal of its specified output port to the status indicator, normal pattern indicator, normal hold indicator, first special pattern indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special pattern indicator, second special hold number indicator and round indicator of the function display unit 1400 directly, i.e. without going through other boards. Based on these detection signals, the main control MPU also outputs a drive signal from the output terminal of a specified output port, thereby outputting a drive signal to the setting change permission lamp on the setting change board.

The main control MPU also outputs various information related to the game (game information) to the frame control board 740 by outputting various information related to 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 that indicates that the launch of game ball B is permitted to be performed to the frame control board 740 by outputting a launch permission signal from the output terminal of its specified output port. The logic of this launch permission signal that indicates 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 start gate sensor 2101, second start gate sensor 2401, normal entry gate sensor 3002, special entry gate sensor 2402, special entry gate sensor 2501, first V entry gate sensor 2502, second V entry gate sensor 2503, miss gate sensor 2504, out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, and foul ball sensor 607 use non-contact electromagnetic proximity switches, whereas the normal entry gate sensor 3001 uses a contact ON/OFF mechanical switch. This is because game ball B frequently enters first start gate 2003, second start gate 2004, and normal entry gate 2002, and therefore game ball B is frequently detected by first start gate sensor 2101, second start gate sensor 2401, and normal entry gate sensor 3002. For this reason, the first start opening sensor 2101, second start opening sensor 2401, and regular winning opening sensor 3002 use highly durable, long-life proximity switches.

In addition, when a favorable game state (such as a "jackpot" game) occurs that is advantageous to the player, the large prize opening 2005 and the special prize opening 2006 open and game ball B frequently enters, so game ball B is also frequently detected by the large prize opening sensor 2402 and the special prize opening sensor 2501. For this reason, a highly durable, long-life proximity switch is used for the large prize opening sensor 2402 and the special prize opening sensor 2501. In addition, game ball B launched into the game area 5a is collected in large quantities by the outlet 2020 and sub-outlet 2021 provided in the game area 5a defined on the game board 5, so game ball B is also frequently detected by the out ball sensor 605. For this reason, a highly durable, long-life proximity switch is used for the out ball sensor 605. In contrast, the general winning opening 2001, where game ball B does not frequently enter, is not frequently detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001. For this reason, a mechanical switch, which has a shorter lifespan than a proximity switch, is used for the general winning opening sensor 3001. However, regardless of whether game ball B frequently enters the general winning opening 2001, a highly durable and long-lifespan proximity switch may also be used.

The main control MPU also transmits various information related to games (game information) and various commands related to the awarding of bonuses to the frame control board 740, and receives various commands related to the status of the pachinko machine 1 from the frame control board 740. 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 frame control board 740, 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 receives various voltages from the power supply board 750 of the frame board unit 730, as will be explained in detail later. The power supply board 750, 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 frame control board 740.

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 750, 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 frame control board 740, etc.

[9-2. Frame control board]
The frame control board 740, which controls the number of game balls B held by a player, is equipped with a RAM clear switch 741 for erasing information stored in RAM, a ball removal switch 742 used to remove the enclosed game balls B from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), and a ball number memory/display clear switch 743 for clearing the number of balls held by the player stored in RAM, etc., and clearing the display on the ball number display unit 140 of the door frame 3.

[9-3. Peripheral control board]
As shown in FIG. 111, 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.

[9-3a. 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 various commands, transmits 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 in order 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 transmits game board side drive data from the serial I/O port for the game board decorative drive board to the drive motor of the game board 5 in order 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 emission data to the door frame 3 side, which is composed of door side drive data for outputting drive signals to vibrators and the like provided on the door frame 3 and door side light emission data for outputting lighting signals, flashing signals or gradation lighting signals to color LEDs and the like provided on each decorative board of the door frame 3, and control data (display commands) indicating the screen to be displayed on the performance display device 1600 is transmitted from the serial I/O port for the display control unit to the performance display control unit 1512, and control signals (sound commands) for extracting sound information from the sound ROM are output to the sound source IC.

Detection signals from the first effect button 251 and second effect button 252 of the effect operation unit 250 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 503 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 503 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.

[9-3b. 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 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.

[9-4. Changing setting values and confirmation display]
In the following example, a setting function is added to the pachinko machine 1 of the above-described embodiment. The pachinko machine 1 of this example has a setting value related to the probability of winning or losing, and by performing a predetermined operation when the power is turned on, it is possible to change the setting value or display a confirmation of the setting value.

First, the main control board 1310 is connected via two-way communication to the frame control board 740 provided on the main frame 4, and is connected unidirectionally to the peripheral control board 1510 for output signals only. The main control board 1310 also receives game ball B detection signals from the general prize opening sensor 3001, gate sensor 2016, first start opening sensor 2101, second start opening sensor 2401, and special prize opening sensor 2402. The main control board 1310 also outputs drive signals to the start opening solenoid 2412 for opening and closing the second start opening 2004, the attacca solenoid 2414 for opening and closing the special prize opening 2005, and so on.

The main control board 1310 is also equipped with a setting key switch 1312 (see Figure 111) that has a setting key cylinder into which the setting key is inserted and rotated, as well as a setting change permission lamp that can emit light in a single color (e.g., red), and a setting indicator consisting of a single 7-segment LED indicator with a decimal point (so-called dot). The setting indicator is capable of displaying the setting value of the pachinko machine 1.

The setting key switch 1312 is initially in the OFF position when it is ready to insert a setting key into the socket formed on the front of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1312 (for example, a position where the length of the rectangular socket is aligned vertically). When the setting key cylinder is in its initial position, a metal setting key can be inserted into the socket and removed from it. In this embodiment, the depth dimension of the setting key switch 1312 is designed to prevent damage to or interference with components of other pachinko machines (or components of the island equipment) installed back-to-back on the island equipment of the amusement hall, even if the rear cover 505 covering the rear of the game board 5 is detached from the pachinko machine 1 for some reason and the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2 with the setting key still inserted in the socket.

Furthermore, the setting key switch 1312 can be turned ON by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position, and this setting key ON signal is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the setting key switch 1312 can be turned OFF by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees counterclockwise to return the setting key switch 1312 from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turned the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1312 OFF). This OFF signal is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310.

Next, we will briefly explain the setting key switch 1312 on the main control board 1310 and the setting display. Here, we will first explain how to change the setting value, and then how to display and confirm the current setting value. Note that the setting key is an important key that can be used to change the setting value as well as check the current setting value, so only a limited number of people, including the arcade manager, are permitted to possess it, and it is limited to two to three people.

First, when changing the setting value, when the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main frame 4 must be opened relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key must be inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1312 on the main control board 1310, the setting key cylinder must be rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, turning the setting key switch 1312 to setting key ON, and the pressing operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741 on the frame control board 740 must be operated, thereby meeting the "predetermined setting value change permission conditions." In other words, the person actually changing the setting value must first make sure that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main body frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and then insert a metal setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1312 and turn it on by rotating it 60 degrees clockwise to turn the setting key switch 1312 on, and then operate the power switch 751 while operating the pressing operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 to turn on the power to the pachinko machine 1.

The person changing the setting value must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then release the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2. Next, insert a metal setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1312 and turn the setting key cylinder clockwise by rotating it 60 degrees to ON, thereby turning the setting key switch 1312 to setting key ON. Next, while operating the pressing portion of the RAM clear switch 741, the power switch 751 is operated to turn on the power to the pachinko machine 1. This inputs the ON signals of the RAM clear switch 741 and setting key to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU displays the current setting value (the value set among setting values 1 through 6 at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1312 is turned ON) stored in a specific area of its built-in RAM on the setting display, and switches the setting change permission lamp from off to on.

When a person changing the setting value presses the pressing operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741 on the frame control board 740, a detection signal from the RAM clear switch 741 is input from the frame control board 740 to the main control MPU on the main control board 1310. Each time a person changing the setting value presses the pressing operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741, the main control MPU increases the current setting value by one based on the detection signal from the RAM clear switch 741. When it reaches the maximum setting value of 6, it returns to the initial setting value of 1, and then increases by one again, displaying the setting value on the setting display.

When a person changing a setting value finalizes the setting value, they turn the setting key switch 1312 OFF by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turned the setting key ON back to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1312 OFF). This setting key OFF signal is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310. This causes the main control MPU to store the changed and finalized setting value in a specific area of its built-in RAM, switch the setting display from displaying the setting value to not displaying it, and switch the setting change permission lamp from lit to extinguished.

The person changing the setting value removes the metal setting key from the setting key cylinder insertion port of the setting key switch 1312, closes the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2, and completes the setting value change procedure.

Next, to display and confirm the currently set setting value, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main frame 4 must be opened relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key must be inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1312, the setting key cylinder must be rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, and the setting key switch 1312 must be set to ON, and the pressing operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 must not be operated, thereby meeting the "predetermined setting value display permission conditions." In other words, a person who actually checks and displays the currently set setting value must first make sure that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main body frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and then insert a metal setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1312 and turn it on by rotating it 60 degrees clockwise to turn the setting key switch 1312 on, and then operate the power switch 751 to power on the pachinko machine 1 without operating the pressing operation part of the RAM clear switch 741.

The person checking and displaying the currently set setting value must first ensure that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then release the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2. Next, insert a metal setting key into the setting key cylinder insertion port of the setting key switch 1312 and turn the setting key cylinder ON by rotating it 60 degrees clockwise to turn the setting key switch 1312 ON. Next, without operating the pressing operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741, the power switch 751 is operated to turn on the power to the pachinko machine 1. This inputs a setting key ON signal to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU displays the current setting value (the value set among setting values 1 to 6 at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1312 is turned ON) stored in a specific area of its built-in RAM on the setting display. At this time, the setting change permission lamp remains off, and even if the person checking and displaying the currently set setting presses the pressing operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741, the setting value will not change at all in response to this pressing operation, and the content displayed on the setting display will not change either.

When the person checking and displaying the currently set setting values has finished checking the currently set setting values, they turn the setting key switch 1312 OFF by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turned the setting key ON back to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1312 OFF). This setting key OFF signal is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310. This causes the main control MPU to switch the setting display from displaying the setting value to not displaying it.

The person who wishes to confirm and display the currently set value removes the metal setting key from the setting key cylinder insertion port of the setting key switch 1312 and closes the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2, completing the process of confirming and displaying the currently set value.

As described above, the "predetermined setting value change permission conditions" require that when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1312, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it on, thereby turning the setting key on, and the pressure operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 is operated. In contrast, as described above, the "predetermined setting value display permission conditions" require that when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1312, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it on, thereby turning the setting key on, and the pressure operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 is not operated. Thus, the "predetermined setting value change permission conditions" and the "predetermined setting value display permission conditions" share a common requirement in that when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main body frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1312, and the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it on, thereby turning the setting key on. However, the "predetermined setting value change permission conditions" require that "the press operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741 is operated when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage)," whereas the "predetermined setting value display permission conditions" differ in that "the press operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741 is not operated when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage)."

To briefly explain the setting values, the "setting values" in this example can change the probability that the lottery results for the first special symbol and the second special symbol described above will result in a jackpot, and are preset to provide a probability (degree of advantage) that is advantageous to the player (i.e., increases the number of game balls the player can acquire). In this embodiment, the setting values provided are setting value 1 (jackpot probability 1/319), setting value 2 (jackpot probability 1/310), setting value 3 (jackpot probability 1/300), setting value 4 (jackpot probability 1/290), setting value 5 (jackpot probability 1/280), and setting value 6 (jackpot probability 1/270), and the probability (degree of advantage) that is advantageous to the player is preset from setting value 1 to setting value 6. The main control MPU of the main control board 1310 selects various tables used in various lottery determinations associated with set values (e.g., a jackpot determination table that specifies the percentage of jackpot determination values indicating a jackpot win), or various tables used in various allocation rates associated with set values (e.g., an allocation table that specifies the allocation time, or a block that manages the operation of an electric drive source such as a motor or solenoid). The various tables used in various lottery determinations associated with set values allocate various determination values at a predetermined rate. Note that the various tables used in various lottery determinations are set so that at least some of the values differ from each other, and the various tables used in various allocation rates are set so that at least some of the values differ from each other, or so that the values differ based on the relationship between a table corresponding to a block that manages the operation of one electric drive source and a table corresponding to a block that manages the operation of another electric drive source. Additionally, while the above-described setting values are six setting values (integers) ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 6, the range may be smaller or larger. For example, there may be four setting values (integers) ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 4, or eight setting values (integers) ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 8.

In this example, setting values 1 through 6 are pre-prepared, each with a different jackpot probability. However, while multiple setting values are possible, it is also possible to set all of them to the same setting value (with the same jackpot probability). For example, while six setting values are possible, it is possible to set all of them in one stage so that they are all setting value 1. In this way, when all setting values are setting value 1, a state in which setting values can be changed occurs in the setting change state, and even if the setting value is switched, it is simply switched from setting value 1 to setting value 1, and the setting value remains unchanged. Furthermore, even if the setting value is confirmed in the setting confirmation state, setting value 1 is always confirmed. Here, there are pachinko machines 1 that require setting value changes (changes in jackpot probability) and pachinko machines 1 that do not require setting value changes (changes in jackpot probability). However, by allowing all setting values to be the same, it is possible to use a common control program regardless of whether setting value changes are required. Additionally, for pachinko machines 1 where changing the setting value (changing the probability of winning) is not necessary, the configuration of the setting key switch 1312, etc. may be retained, but instead of allowing six setting values to be set, only one setting value may be set, allowing setting to be achieved in one stage.

Furthermore, while setting values are being changed or displayed for confirmation, the main control board 1310 controls the system to a state in which game play is not possible, i.e., the display of changing patterns does not begin even if game ball B enters one of the ball entry ports, such as the first starting port 2003. Furthermore, the frame control board 740 controls the system to a state in which game ball circulation is not possible, i.e., a state in which game ball B is not launched from the ball launching unit 550 even when the handle 160 is operated, and various controls, such as the settlement process via the counting button switch 180, the ball launching unit 550, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700, are stopped, and game ball B is not managed (monitored) in the circulation ball path unit 600. As a result, if game play or ball circulation is in progress while setting values are being changed or displayed for confirmation, there is a possibility that work related to the setting value may be hindered. However, by stopping game play or ball circulation, such a situation can be prevented from occurring. After that, when the setting value changes and confirmation display are finished and the setting value is no longer displayed on the setting display, the machine will enter a state where it is possible to play games and circulate balls; for example, when the handle 160 is operated, game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, and when game ball B enters one of the various ball entry ports such as the first starting port 2003, the display of changing patterns will begin. The counting button switch 180 will be operated to start settlement processing, and various controls such as the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, and ball sending unit 700 will be initiated, and the machine will enter a state where it is possible to manage (monitor) game ball B in the circulating ball path unit 600.

However, while the setting values are being changed or the setting value confirmation display is in progress, the system may be controlled to a state in which ball circulation is possible, for example, a state in which game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 by operating the handle 160, or a state in which settlement processing is performed by operating the counting button switch 180, or various controls such as the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, and ball sending unit 700 are initiated to manage (monitor) game balls B in the circulation ball path unit 600. This allows game play to begin promptly after the setting values are changed or the setting value confirmation display has finished.

In addition to displaying the setting values as described above, the setting display also checks the contents of its own built-in RAM when the main control MPU restores power to determine whether there is an abnormality. If it determines that there is an abnormality, and if the main control side power-off processing did not end normally when the power was cut off, it displays an error message indicating that there is an abnormality (or that the contents stored in its own built-in RAM are unreliable). In this embodiment, the main control MPU displays the letter E on the setting display as an error message.

In addition to the setting display, the main control board 1310 is also equipped with a base monitor 1311, consisting of a row of six 7-segment LED displays with decimal points (so-called dots). The setting display is capable of displaying the setting values of the pachinko machine 1, while the base monitor 1311, as described in detail below, is capable of displaying the calculated ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entered (number of prize balls entered). However, it is also possible to provide only the base monitor 1311, and have it function both as a display of the setting values of the pachinko machine 1 and as a display of the calculated ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entered. In such a case, the base monitor 1311 displays the setting values of the pachinko machine 1 when the setting values can be changed (change permission state) or when the setting value confirmation display is being performed (confirmation display state), but displays the calculated ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entered when the change permission state or confirmation display state is not being performed. This reduces the number of parts and contributes to cost savings.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the RAM clear switch 741 is provided on the frame control board 740, and the operation-related components related to setting values (setting key switch 1312, setting display, RAM clear switch 741) are distributed across the frame control board 740 and the main control board 1310. This arrangement requires the operation of multiple operating units located in different positions to change the setting value, making unauthorized setting changes more difficult than when the operation-related components related to setting values are all located on a single board, and is effective in preventing fraud. The RAM clear switch 741 may also be located on the main control board 1310, where the setting key switch 1312 and setting display are also located, rather than on the frame control board 740. In this case, although the effectiveness of fraud prevention is less than when they are all located separately, the relative locations make it easier to recognize the various operation and confirmation components at a glance, improving operational efficiency when setting and checking setting values.

[9-5. Base monitor management]
Next, the base monitor 1311 of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment will be described. In the other embodiments described above, the base monitor 1311 (four 7-segment LEDs) was described as displaying the number of game balls B counted by detection by the out ball sensor 605 provided in the circulating ball path unit 600, but the base monitor 1311 of this embodiment counts the number of balls that enter and the number of balls that are paid out (number of prize balls), which increase as the game progresses, and displays a base value (the ratio of the number of balls that are paid out to the number of balls that enter). Note that the basic configuration of the base monitor 1311, such as having four 7-segment LEDs, is the same as in the other embodiments.

The game area 5a, which is partitioned and formed on the game board 5, is provided with multiple ball entry ports through which game balls B can enter. Of the multiple ball entry ports, the entry ports from which prize balls are paid out (a prize ball number is awarded) upon entry include multiple (three in this case) general entry ports 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a, a normal entry port 2002 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, and a first initial entry port 2003 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B. The machine is provided with a moving opening 2003, a second starting opening 2004 which can accept the game ball B in accordance with the result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn when the game ball B is accepted into the normal winning opening 2002, and a large winning opening 2005 and a special winning opening 2006 which can accept the game ball B in accordance with the first special symbol drawn when the game ball B is accepted into the first starting opening 2003 or the second special symbol drawn when the game ball B is accepted into the second starting opening 2004. In addition, game ball B that enters general prize entry port 2001, normal prize entry port 2002, first start port 2003, second start port 2004, large prize entry port 2005, and special prize entry port 2006 is detected by general prize entry port sensor 3001, normal prize entry port sensor 3002, first start port sensor 2101, second start port sensor 2401, large prize entry port sensor 2402, and special prize entry port sensor 2501, respectively.

Of the multiple ball inlets, the outlets for collecting game balls B that did not enter the winning holes include an outlet 2020 located at the most downstream position within the game area 5a, which is always open to receive game balls B and discharges received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them, and two sub-outlets 2021 located upstream of the outlet 2020 within the game area 5a, which are always open to receive game balls B and discharge received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them.

A game ball B that is discharged to the rear of the game panel 1100 through one of the multiple ball entry ports, such as the out port 2020 or the sub-out port 2021, is discharged to the out ball receiving port 600a in the circulating ball path unit 600, and, being received by the out ball receiving port 600a, flows through the out ball passage 601 and is detected (counted) one by one by the out ball sensor 605. On the other hand, a game ball B that is received by a prize entry port such as the general prize entry port 2001, the normal prize entry port 2002, the first start port 2003, the second start port 2004, the big prize entry port 2005, or the special prize entry port 2006 and is discharged downward from the front unit 2000 or the back unit 3000 is discharged to the safe ball receiving port 600b in the circulating ball path unit 600, and, being received by the safe ball receiving port 600b, flows through the safe ball passage 602 and is detected (counted) one by one by the safe ball sensor 606.

The main control MPU counts the number of game balls B (entry ball count) that have entered the entry ports (winning port, out port) provided in the game area 5a defined on the game board 5, i.e., the number of game balls B that are discharged from the game area 5a. Specifically, the number of game balls B that have entered the entry port, which is the target for paying out prize balls upon entry, detected by the safe ball sensor 606, and the number of game balls B that have entered the out port, which collects game balls B that did not enter the winning port, detected by the out ball sensor 605, are counted as the total.

The main control MPU also counts the number of game balls B (hereinafter referred to as the payout number) that are paid out (awarded) as prize balls when a ball enters a prize slot. Specifically, it is predetermined that a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., three balls for a ball entering the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004) will be paid out corresponding to the prize slot from which prize balls are paid out when the ball enters the prize slot) is detected by a detection sensor corresponding to the prize slot from which prize balls are paid out when the ball enters the prize slot, and the number of that predetermined number of game balls B is counted as the payout number. For example, when a game ball B enters the general winning slot 2001, 10 game balls B are paid out; when a game ball B enters the normal winning slot 2002, 1 game ball B is paid out; when a game ball B enters the first starting slot 2003 or the second starting slot 2004, 3 game balls B are paid out; and when a game ball B enters the big winning slot 2005 or the special winning slot 2006, 10 game balls B are paid out, and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls is counted as the number of balls paid out. Note that in this example, the pachinko machine 1 does not pay out actual balls, so the number of game balls B paid out (awarded) as prize balls is added to the number of balls the player has.

The main control MPU then calculates the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine, stores the calculation result as a base value in a specific area of the built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor 1311. One possible formula for calculating the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine is "base value = (number of payouts ÷ number of balls that enter the machine) × 100." For example, if the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine is too high, it is possible that the balls are only entering the winning slots that are the target of paying out prize balls when they enter the machine. By monitoring the information displayed on the base monitor 1311, it is possible to determine whether or not balls are being entered into the winning slots through fraudulent activity.

In this example, the number of game balls B entering the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, exit slots) (number of game balls entering) and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls (number of payouts) are counted only in the low-probability non-time-saving mode among the multiple game modes, and are reflected in the display on the base monitor 1311. Here, in the low-probability time-saving mode (time-saving mode) or the high-probability time-saving mode (probability variable mode), balls frequently enter the second start slot 2004, so the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls also increases, and the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entering tends to be high. In other words, whether the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entering increases depends on the period during which the low-probability time-saving mode (time-saving mode) or the high-probability time-saving mode (probability variable mode) is in effect. However, by excluding such periods, the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entering can be kept within a certain range, provided there is no fraudulent activity.

In addition, the base monitor 1311 displays the ratio of the number of balls paid out to the number of balls entered, but it may also be possible to display the number of game balls B that entered the ball entry port (winning port, out port) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that were paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out).

Furthermore, for the base monitor 1311, the main control MPU calculates the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter, and the calculation result is stored in a specific area of the built-in RAM and displayed on the base monitor 1311. Furthermore, the information stored in the specific area of the RAM (the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter) is not cleared even if the RAM clear switch 741 is operated when the power is turned on. However, the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter is newly calculated each time the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) (number of entering balls) reaches 60,000, and the calculation results of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls that have been outdated are saved as history up to a predetermined number of calculation results. In the specifications of such a base monitor 1311, for example, the display of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of incoming balls may be restricted from the time when the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of incoming balls is newly calculated until the number of game balls B (number of incoming balls) entering the ball entrances (winning entrances, outgoing entrances) reaches at least 1,000. This is because, immediately after the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of incoming balls is newly calculated, a bias is likely to occur, such as a situation in which balls continue to enter winning entrances that are eligible for prize ball payouts, causing the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of incoming balls to be higher than the reference value, or a situation in which balls do not enter winning entrances that are eligible for prize ball payouts, causing the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of incoming balls to be lower than the reference value. For this reason, immediately after the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of incoming balls is newly calculated, the information obtained from the base monitor information command may be deemed unreliable, and the display of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of incoming balls may not be executed.

In addition, in this example, game balls B collected at the outlet 2020 or sub-outlet 2021 are detected (counted) by the out ball sensor 605 provided on the main frame 4 side, and game balls B that enter prize ports such as the general prize port 2001, normal prize port 2002, first start port 2003, second start port 2004, large prize port 2005, and special prize port 2006 are detected (counted) by the safe ball sensor 606 provided on the main frame 4 side, but these sensors may also be provided on the game board 5 side. Also, a passage may be formed so that the game balls B collected at the outlet 2020 or sub-outlet 2021 and the game balls B that enter the various prize ports converge, and a single sensor may be provided on that passage, and the number of game balls B that enter the prize port (outlet) may be counted based on the detection of that single sensor.

In addition, in this example, the base monitor 1311 is located on the main control board 1310, but it may also be located on the frame control board 740. In such cases, the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls scored is calculated on the main control board 1310 side, and the calculation result is displayed on the base monitor 1311 via the frame control board 740, but other methods may also be used. For example, commands related to the number of balls scored and the number of payouts may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 at a predetermined timing, and the frame control board 740 may calculate the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls scored and display the calculation result on the base monitor 1311. In this way, by having the frame control board 740 handle some of the control related to the base monitor 1311, the control burden on the main control board 1310 side can be reduced.

In addition, in this example, the number of game balls B (number of game balls entering) that have entered the ball entry ports (winning port, out port) is calculated using the out ball sensor 605 and the safe ball sensor 606. However, the number of game balls B (number of game balls entering) that have entered the ball entry ports (winning port, out port) may be calculated using a different configuration. For example, when calculating the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of game balls entering on the frame control board 740 side, the number of game balls launched into the game area 5a may be calculated based on the detection results of the launch subtraction sensor 554 in the ball launch unit 550, and this value (number of game balls launched into the game area 5a) may be substituted for the "number of game balls B (number of game balls entering) that have entered the ball entry ports (winning port, out port)." Note that the "number of game balls launched into the game area" here preferably excludes the number of balls treated as foul balls, as described above. In this case, the calculation of the base value on the frame control board 740 side can be, for example, "base value = (number of payouts ÷ number of game balls fired into the game area) × 100)." In this way, by having the frame control board 740 side handle part of the control related to the base monitor 1311, the control burden on the main control board 1310 side can be reduced.

[10. Game Contents]
The game content of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 102 and other figures. In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when a player rotates a handle 160 located in the lower right corner of the front of the door frame 3, a game ball B enclosed in a circulation path R passes between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and is 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 160. The more clockwise the rotation, the stronger the shot. A maximum of 100 game balls B can be shot continuously per minute, i.e., 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 circulate 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 entrance to warp passage 2512 is always open so that game ball B can be received.

Game ball B that enters the warp passage 2512 is supplied to the stage 2513 located within the frame of the center device 2500, rolls left and right on the stage 2513, and is released from either the central release section 2513a or the side release section 2513b so as to return to the game area 5a. The central release section 2513a of the stage 2513 is located directly above the first starting opening 2003 in the left-right center of the game area 5a, so game ball B released from the central release section 2513a has a high probability of being accepted by the first starting opening 2003. Game ball B released from the side release sections 2513b on either side of the central release section 2513a has a certain probability of being accepted by the first starting opening 2003.

When a game ball B is received in the first starting slot 2003, a predetermined number (e.g., three) of game balls B are added to the player's ball count via the main control board 1310 in the frame control board 740. At the same time, the main control board 1310 draws a first special symbol (e.g., "miss," "small hit," "hit with special feature," "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 starting port 2003 during the period from the start of the special lottery due to the reception of a game ball B into the first starting port 2003 until the lottery result for the drawn first special symbol is suggested (special variable 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 first starting port 2003; for any 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 starting port 2003. This prevents the burden on the gaming hall from increasing due to the accumulation of reserved results.

If game ball B that flows down to the left side of the center device 2500 does not enter the 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 of the side unit 2200, or the first starting opening 2003 of the starting opening unit 2100. When game ball B is accepted into the general winning opening 2001, a predetermined number (e.g., 10) of game balls B are added to the number of balls held in the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310.

On the other hand, if game ball B is shot into the top of the center role device 2500 within the play area 5a and enters to the right of the highest part of the inflow restriction section 2511c of the center frame 2511 of the center role device 2500, it will pass through either the first guide passage 2521 or the second guide passage 2522 of the guide passage group 2520 of the center role device 2500. Game ball B that enters the first guide passage 2521 rolls along the top surface of the role device prize entrance door 2515, which closes the role device prize entrance 2006, and is then released above (directly above) the normal prize entrance unit 2600. On the other hand, game ball B that enters the second guide passage 2522 is released above and to the left of the normal prize entrance 2002. Therefore, when game ball B enters the first guide passage 2521, there is a possibility that it will be accepted by the role device prize entrance 2006.

When the result of the lottery for the special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into first start opening 2003 or second start opening 2004 is a "small win" or "game win," the special opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, becoming ready to receive game ball B. When game ball B is received into the special opening 2006, a predetermined number (e.g., 10 or 13) of game balls B are added to the number of balls held by the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310.

Game balls B received by the special prize opening 2006 are sent to the first sorting device 2530, where they are sorted by the sorting rotor 2533 to either the chance opening 2531 or the first jackpot opening 2532. Game balls B sorted to the first jackpot opening 2532 are discharged. Game balls B sorted to the chance opening 2531 are sent to the second sorting device 2540. Game balls B sent to the second sorting device 2540 are sorted to either the first V prize opening 2007 or the second jackpot opening 2541. When a game ball B is received by the first V prize opening 2007 through sorting by the second sorting device 2540, a "jackpot" game is executed in which the big prize opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined opening and closing pattern.

When game ball B is allocated to second slot 2541 by second distribution device 2540, it is sent to lottery device 2550. Game ball B sent to lottery device 2550 loops between table 2555, on which second V winning slot 2008 is provided, and striking section 2553, which supplies game ball B to table 2555, while distribution bridge 2557 of distribution section 2552 is moving to the loop position. Then, when game ball B is received by second V winning slot 2008, a "jackpot" game is executed in which big winning slot 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined opening and closing pattern.

On the other hand, after a predetermined time has elapsed and the distribution bridge 2557 has moved from the loop position to the non-loop position, opening the loss port 2009, game balls B that were not accepted into the second V winning port 2008 of the table 2555 are accepted into the loss port 2009. Game balls B accepted into the loss port 2009 are ejected.

The normal winning opening 2002, located downstream of the guide passage group 2520, is located directly below the exit of the first guide passage 2521, so a game ball B that has circulated through the first guide passage 2521 is more likely to be accepted by the normal winning opening 2002 than a game ball B that has circulated through the second guide passage 2522. Game balls B that are not accepted by the normal winning opening 2002 flow down to the attacka unit 2400.

When game ball B is received into this normal winning opening 2002 and detected by normal winning opening sensor 3002, a normal lottery is conducted on main control board 1310, and if the result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn is a "normal win," second starting opening 2004, which is closed by second starting opening door 2411, opens for a predetermined time (for example, 0.3 to 10 seconds), allowing game ball B to be received into second starting opening 2004.

In this embodiment, in the normal lottery, which is conducted when game ball B is received in normal winning port 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 fluctuation 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 port 2004 opens after the normal fluctuation time has elapsed.

If game ball B is received by normal winning port 2002 between the time when game ball B is received by normal winning port 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 is received by normal winning port 2002. This prevents the burden on the gaming hall from increasing due to the accumulation of reserved results.

Game balls B that are not accepted by the normal winning opening 2002 and instead flow down will flow down to either the upper shelf 2421, the first shelf 2422, or a location to the right of the first shelf 2422 in the attacca unit 2400. Game balls B that flow down to the upper shelf 2421 are guided to the left and released to the left of the large winning opening 2005. Therefore, game balls B that flow down onto the upper shelf 2421 will not be accepted by the second starting opening 2004 or the large winning opening 2005.

A game ball B that flows down to the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400 rolls to the left due to its inclination, and after rolling over the second start opening door 2411 closing the second start opening 2004, the second shelf 2423, the large prize opening door 2413 closing the large prize opening 2005, and the fourth shelf 2425, is released to the left. A game ball B released from the fourth shelf 2425 is received and discharged by the outlet 2020. Therefore, when a game ball B flows down to the first shelf 2422, there is a possibility that it will be received by the second start opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005.

A game ball B that flows down to the right of the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400 is received by the sub-outlet 2021 and discharged. Although this is rare, if a game ball B that flows down to the first shelf 2422 enters the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424, it will be received by the sub-outlet 2021 and discharged.

When a game ball B is received in the second starting port 2004 of the attacker unit 2400, a predetermined number (e.g., 1) of game balls B are added to the number of balls held by the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310, and the main control board 1310 draws a lottery for a second special symbol (e.g., "miss," "small hit," "hit with special feature," "2R jackpot," "5R jackpot," "15R jackpot," "probability change (changed probability) hit," "time reduction (time reduction) hit," "probability change time reduction hit," "probability change no time reduction 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 game ball B is received into second starting port 2004 during the period from the start of the special lottery due to the receipt of game ball B into second starting port 2004 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 2004; for any more than this, the lottery result for the second special symbol is not reserved but discarded, even if game ball B is received into second starting port 2004. 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 2004 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 starting opening 2003. 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 for the first starting opening 2003 and the second starting opening 2004 is the same, the number of lottery results for the second special symbol executed by the second starting opening 2004 will be 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 2004 is likely to accept it. Since the frequency of the lottery result for the second special symbol being executed is low, the player can be encouraged 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 start opening 2003 or second start opening 2004, depending on the lottery result for the first special pattern or the lottery result for the second special pattern, the big prize opening 2005 or the special prize opening 2006 opens or closes in a predetermined opening/closing pattern, making it possible to receive game ball B.

Then, in the attacca unit 2400, when a game ball B flows down at a timing when the large prize opening 2005 is ready to receive a game ball B, depending on the results of the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol, or due to the reception of a game ball B into the first V prize opening 2007 or the second V prize opening 2008, the game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005. When a game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005, a predetermined number (for example, 10 or 13) of game balls B are added to the number of balls held in the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310.

After the large prize opening 2005 is in an open state where it can accept game ball B, if one of the following conditions is met: a predetermined time (e.g., 20 to 40 seconds) has elapsed, or a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., 10) have been accepted into the large prize opening 2005, the opening and closing pattern (each opening and closing pattern is referred to as one round) in which it is in a closed state where it cannot accept game ball B is repeated a predetermined number of times (predetermined number of rounds). For example, this is repeated two rounds for a "2R jackpot," five rounds for a "5R jackpot," and fifteen rounds for a "15R jackpot," 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 big prize winning slot 2005 or the accessory prize winning slot 2006 becomes capable of receiving 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, by having the large prize winning opening 2005 or the special prize winning opening 2006 accept game ball B when they are able to do so, the player can have many game balls B added to their ball count, which allows the player to enjoy the game and prevents 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 is 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 (for example, 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 a player participation effect in which the first effect button 251 or the second effect button 252 on the effect operation unit 250 on the door frame 3 is operated depending on the results of the special symbol lottery. In the player participation effect, the first effect button 251 and the second effect button 252 can be made to pop up and stand out, allowing the player to enjoy the player participation effect by operating the first effect button 251 or the second effect button 252.

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 performance count display unit 3005, the back decorative unit 3200, the back front performance unit 3300, the back rear performance unit 3400, etc. to produce light-emitting performances, display performances, moving performances, etc., allowing players to be entertained by various performances and preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, in a player-participation effect in which the first effect button 251 or the second effect button 252 is operated, if the player makes a mistake or fails to perform the required operation, the peripheral control board 1510 notifies the player so that the correct operation can be performed.

In this embodiment, a game ball B is shot into the game area 5a by a player, and as a result of satisfying predetermined conditions, the special symbol drawing result is determined by the acceptance of the game ball B into the first starting opening 2003 or the second starting opening 2004, and the device winning opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern based on the lottery results. The game ball B accepted into the device winning opening 2006 passes through the first sorting device 2530 and the second sorting device 2540 and is supplied to the guide path 2551 of the lottery device 2550 in the center device 2500, and the game ball B circulates toward the downstream sorting section 2552. In this distribution unit 2552, when the losing port 2009 opening to the guideway 2551 is closed by the distribution bridge 2557, the game ball B is distributed to the striking unit 2553 as the first side. When the distribution bridge 2557 is rotated by the lottery loop solenoid 2558 to open the losing port 2009, the game ball B is distributed to the losing port 2009 (second side), and the distribution status of the game ball B is displayed by the distribution display unit 2557a of the distribution bridge 2557. Then, when the game ball B is distributed to the first side in the distribution unit 2552, it is supplied to the striking unit 2553. On the other hand, when the game ball B is distributed to the second side (losing port 2009) in the distribution unit 2552, it is not supplied to the striking unit 2553 but is discharged from the lottery device 2550.

The game ball B supplied from the distribution section 2552 to the striking section 2553 is struck backward by the rotating striking piece 2560 of the striking section 2553, and circulates (rolls) up the ascending slope 2559, which rises toward the rear. Depending on the timing at which the game ball B is supplied to the striking section 2553 and the timing at which the striking piece 2560 strikes the game ball B, the game ball B may be struck hard or barely at all, and the momentum of the game ball B struck backward varies. Therefore, if the momentum of the struck game ball B is weak, the game ball B will not be able to climb the ascending slope 2559 and will return to the striking section 2553, causing the game ball B to bounce back and forth along the ascending slope 2559. When game ball B is hit hard by hitting section 2553 and overcomes uphill section 2559, it is supplied to oscillating gutter 2554, which is located in the center of the left-right direction at the rear end of table 2555, and is then released from oscillating gutter 2554 onto table 2555. At this time, because oscillating gutter 2554 rotates back and forth so as to oscillate around its vertical axis, game ball B is released in various directions from gutter section 2554a of oscillating gutter 2554 onto table 2555, depending on the timing at which game ball B is supplied and the timing of the rotation position of oscillating gutter 2554.

Game ball B released from oscillating gutter 2554 onto table 2555 rolls forward according to the inclination and is released from the front end of table 2555 onto guideway 2551. At this time, there is a possibility that game ball B will be received by second V winning slot 2008, which is located on the central axis in the front-to-back direction passing through the center of oscillating gutter 2554 near the front end of table 2555. Furthermore, game ball B may come into contact with oscillating pieces 2556, which are located symmetrically between oscillating gutter 2554 and second V winning slot 2008 about the central axis, causing game ball B to flow toward or away from second V winning slot 2008. When game ball B is received by second V winning slot 2008 of table 2555, a favorable game state (e.g., a jackpot game) occurs. On the other hand, if game ball B is not accepted by second V winning opening 2008 and is released from the front end of table 2555 into guide path 2551, and then sorted to one side by sorting unit 2552, game ball B is supplied to oscillating gutter 2554 by hitting unit 2553. Therefore, as long as game ball B is sorted to one side (striking unit 2553) by sorting unit 2552, game ball B will loop through guide path 2551, sorting unit 2552, hitting unit 2553, oscillating gutter 2554, and table 2555 in that order until it is accepted by second V winning opening 2008.

For this reason, when the device winning opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, enabling game ball B to be supplied to the lottery device 2550, the player can check whether the distribution unit 2552 is in a state to distribute game ball B to the first side (striking unit 2553) by looking at the distribution display unit 2557a of the distribution unit 2552. As a result, when the distribution unit 2552 is in a state to distribute game ball B to the first side (striking unit 2553, and therefore the second V winning opening 2008) by looking at the distribution display unit 2557a, the player can get excited by wondering whether game ball B received by the device winning opening 2006 (here, game ball B accommodated in the accommodation unit 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 in the first distribution device 2530) will be supplied to the lottery device 2550 (guide path 2551). Thereafter, when game ball B received in device winning port 2006 is supplied to lottery device 2550 (guide path 2551), the player can be kept on the edge of his seat depending on whether or not it is sorted to the first side (striking section 2553 side) in sorting section 2552. Then, when game ball B is sorted to the first side and supplied to striking section 2553, game ball B moves back and forth uphill section 2559 depending on the timing at which game ball B is struck, and the player can be entertained by whether or not game ball B is struck with enough strength to overcome uphill section 2559. Furthermore, game ball B that has climbed over the uphill section 2559 is supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554, which is rotating back and forth. Therefore, game ball B is supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554 at the timing when the oscillating gutter 2554 can release game ball B toward the second V winning opening 2008. Whether game ball B is hit with enough strength to climb over the uphill section 2559 keeps the player on the edge of their seat and provides a thrilling and enjoyable experience.

When the game ball B struck by the striking portion 2553 climbs over the slope 2559 and is supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554, the player can be thrilled and excited depending on whether the game ball B is released from the reciprocatingly rotating oscillating gutter 2554 toward the second V winning opening 2008. Even if the game ball B is released from this oscillating gutter 2554 in a direction away from the central axis (second V winning opening 2008), depending on the swinging state of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 arranged symmetrically on either side of the central axis, the game ball B that hits the oscillating piece 2556 may be pulled toward the central axis and head toward the second V winning opening 2008. This prevents the player from being disappointed and keeps the player entertained, preventing a decline in interest. The player can be kept on the edge of their seats depending on whether or not game ball B is received by second V winning opening 2008, which is located near the downstream end of table 2555. If game ball B is received by second V winning opening 2008, a favorable game state (a jackpot game in which big winning opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern) occurs, providing great enjoyment to the player.

On the other hand, even if game ball B is not accepted by the second V winning port 2008, it is released into the guide path 2551 from the downstream end of the table 2555, and the player's expectations can be heightened depending on whether game ball B is again allocated to the first side (striking section 2553) by the distribution section 2552 located downstream of the guide path 2551.If game ball B is again allocated to the first side by the distribution section 2552, it is supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554 upstream of the table 2555 via the striking section 2553 and the climbing section 2559, so that the player will not be disappointed as there will be another chance for it to be accepted by the second V winning port 2008. At this time, when the distribution display section 2557a of the distribution bridge 2557 indicates that the distribution section 2552 is in a state of distributing to the first side (striking section 2553), the player can get excited by seeing whether or not game ball B will be released from the front end of the table 2555 into the guide path 2551. Therefore, the lottery device 2550 can keep the player on the edge of their seat in various scenes, making it less likely that the player will get bored, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest, and it is possible to provide a pachinko machine equipped with a lottery device 2550 that can entertain the player.

Furthermore, the lottery device 2550 of the center device 2500 has a large, planar table 2555 that is wide from front to back and left to right, and a guideway 2551 is provided in front of the front end of the table 2555, making the lottery device 2550 large. This lottery device 2550 makes the pachinko machine 1 stand out, strongly attracting the player's attention and increasing the player's anticipation for games using the lottery device 2550, making it easier to select the pachinko machine 1 as the machine to play, and providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

Furthermore, since the second V winning opening 2008 is located on the central axis in the left-right direction of the table 2555, which is inclined so that the rear end is higher, the second V winning opening 2008 can be made to stand out, making it easier to direct the player's gaze toward the second V winning opening 2008 and to create a sense of anticipation for the game ball B to be received by the second V winning opening 2008, making it easier to select this pachinko machine 1 as the pachinko machine to play.

In addition, the oscillating gutter 2554 is located near the rear end on the central axis of the table 2555, which has a raised rear end, and a pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are located symmetrically on both sides of the central axis. This means that the oscillating pieces 2556 do not obstruct visibility of the oscillating gutter 2554 at the rear, allowing the player to clearly see the second V winning slot 2008, the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, and the oscillating gutter 2554 located on the table 2555. This makes it easier to recognize the rotation and oscillating status of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 and the oscillating gutter 2554, making it easier to predict the rolling path of the game ball B due to these movements, and allows the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B depending on whether or not it rolls as predicted.

In addition, in the distribution section 2552, a losing port 2009 that communicates with the second side is provided in the guide path 2551. Therefore, when the distribution bridge 2557 is rotated by the lottery loop solenoid 2558 to open the losing port 2009 from a closed state by the distribution bridge 2557, the losing port 2009 opens upward in the guide path 2551. This makes the losing port 2009 stand out to the player, making it easier for the player to recognize that the game ball B circulating through the guide path 2551 is being distributed to the second side (losing port 2009), that is, is not being distributed to the first side (striking section 2553, and therefore the second V winning port 2008). Therefore, when the conspicuous outlet 2009 is closed by the sorting bridge 2557, it is easy to recognize that the ball is being sorted to the first side (striking section 2553), and it is easy to tell which way it is being sorted just by looking at the guide path 2551.

Furthermore, depending on the timing of hitting game ball B with the hitting section 2553, game ball B can move back and forth along the uphill section 2559, thereby increasing the amount of time game ball B spends in the lottery device 2550. This prevents the player from being disappointed by the game ending in a short time on the lottery device 2550, and the time gained by the uphill section 2559 allows the player to fully enjoy the effects, such as the effect images on the effect display device 1600, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that is more enjoyable for players.

In addition, since an uphill section 2559 is provided between the striking section 2553 and the oscillating gutter 2554 (oscillating passage 2562), even if the game ball B is struck hard at the striking section 2553, its momentum can be attenuated by climbing up the uphill section 2559, and its momentum can be further attenuated by oscillating it left and right in the oscillating passage 2562.This prevents the game ball B from being supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554 with force, causing it to be released from the oscillating gutter 2554 in a direction different from the release direction of the oscillating gutter 2554, even though the oscillating gutter 2554 rotates back and forth to change its release direction, which could cause discomfort to the player, or the game ball B being released from the oscillating gutter 2554 with force onto the table 2555, thereby shortening its stay time (rolling time) on the table 2555. Therefore, players can enjoy the release of game ball B from the oscillating gutter 2554 without feeling uncomfortable, and can easily enjoy the movement of game ball B rolling on the table 2555.

Furthermore, in cases where the player can select the timing at which game ball B is supplied to the lottery device 2550 by operating the game ball B, the player can perform the operation to supply game ball B at the timing when the distribution display unit 2557a indicates that game ball B is ready to be distributed to the first side. This allows the player to enjoy not only the movement of game ball B within the lottery device 2550, but also the operation of inserting game ball B, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can prevent the player's interest in the game from declining.

Furthermore, when the loss opening 2009 is opened, the sorting bridge 2557 is positioned so that its tip is higher than its base end and stands upright from the guideway 2551. Therefore, even if game ball B flows forcefully along the guideway 2551 and attempts to jump over the loss opening 2009, the upright sorting bridge 2557 prevents it from jumping over and entering the first side (striking section 2553), and game ball B can be reliably sorted into the loss opening 2009 (second side).

In addition, when the losing hole 2009 is opened, the sorting bridge 2557 is positioned with its tip higher than its base end, standing upright from the guideway 2551, making the sorting bridge 2557 stand out to the player, and the sorting display unit 2557a provided on the sorting bridge 2557 is visible, allowing the player to determine from the sorting bridge 2557 (sorting display unit 2557a) that game ball B is being sorted to the second side.

[10-1. New form of game management]
In recent years, even when a large number of balls are awarded to a fraudster due to new fraudulent activities, it is difficult to distinguish between cases where a large number of balls have been awarded to a player due to a bias in the probability of winning or losing, making it difficult for gaming parlors to urge fraudsters to stop playing, resulting in problems of difficult gaming machine management. Furthermore, a bias in the probability of winning or losing can also result in a large number of balls being awarded to legitimate players, leading to problems such as so-called "addiction." Therefore, as one embodiment for solving these problems, a new gaming control is described below that aims to optimize the management of gaming machines that award large numbers of balls. This new gaming control newly extracts a "number of balls awarded in a specified period" and reflects this in the game progress, separate from the control that calculates and displays the base value described above. For ease of explanation, the following description will be based on the pachinko machine 1 of the fourth embodiment.

[10-1a. Extraction of ball volume for a specified period]
In this example, the pachinko machine 1 is capable of calculating and deriving the following two types of ball output amount A and ball output amount B as the ball output amount (difference in ball output amount) for a specified period by the main control board 1310.

First, the main control MPU counts the number of game balls B (number of shots) launched into the game area 5a by operating the handle 160. Specifically, when the handle 160 is operated to launch a game ball B into the game area 5a, the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that the game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b, and counts the number of game balls B (excluding the number of balls processed as foul balls) as the "number of shots" used to calculate the amounts of balls A and B to be dispensed. Note that the number of shots may be counted using a different method; for example, a sensor other than the launch subtraction sensor 554 may be installed to detect and count game balls that enter the game area 5a.

The main control MPU also counts the number of game balls B (number of payouts) that are paid out (awarded) as prize balls when a ball enters a prize slot. Specifically, it is predetermined that a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., three balls for a ball entering the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004) will be paid out (awarded) corresponding to the prize slot that will pay out (award) prize balls when the ball enters the prize slot, and when detected by a detection sensor corresponding to the prize slot that will pay out prize balls when the ball enters the prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls B is counted as the "number of payouts (number of awards)" for calculating the ball amounts A and B. For example, when game ball B enters general prize opening 2001, 15 game balls B are paid out; when game ball B enters normal prize opening 2002, 1 game ball B is paid out; when game ball B enters first start opening 2003 or second start opening 2004, 3 game balls B are paid out; and when game ball B enters large prize opening 2005 or accessory prize opening 2006, 15 game balls B are paid out, and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls is counted as the number of payouts used to calculate payout amounts A and B. Note that in this example, the pachinko machine 1 does not pay out actual balls, so the number of game balls B awarded as prize balls is counted as the number of payouts used to calculate payout amounts A and B.

The main control MPU calculates the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out within the period until a predetermined clear condition, described below, is met, in addition to the normal number of balls that a player can settle by operating the counting button switch 180 (the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit 140), and can store and retain this calculation result in a "stop counter" as a value for calculating the ball amounts A and B. The value of the stop counter is stored in a specific area of the built-in RAM. One example of a formula for calculating the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out is "stop counter value = number of balls paid out - number of balls fired." For example, if the value of the stop counter becomes too high, it can be determined that a large number of balls has been dispensed from the pachinko machine 1, regardless of whether the player has changed or not. Furthermore, in this example of pachinko machine 1, the increase or decrease in player A's normal number of balls (the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit 140) is managed by subtracting player A's normal number of balls when game ball B is fired and adding player A's normal number of balls when prize balls are paid out. However, as described above, the value of the limit counter is stored (memorized) separately from the normal number of balls and managed by the main control MPU. This limit counter value is also subtracted when game ball B is fired and added when prize balls are paid out, which is similar to the process for managing the increase or decrease in the normal number of balls. However, the limit counter value cannot be settled by the player by operating the counting button switch 180, which is a significant difference from the normal number of balls. Below, we will explain the ball payout amounts A and B calculated using the limit counter value.

The amount of balls dispensed A is the difference between the value at which the stop counter reaches its highest value within the period until the specified clear condition described below is met and the value at which the stop counter reaches its lowest value within the period until the specified clear condition described below is met. In other words, the main control MPU stores the progress of this stop counter, calculates the difference between the maximum and minimum values of the stop counter, updates this calculation result as the amount of balls dispensed A as needed, and stores it in a specific area of the built-in RAM. The amount of balls dispensed A is cleared and returned to its initial value of 0 when the specified clear condition described below is met. Note that the clear condition described below does not include "settlement of balls (operation of the counting button switch 180)." Therefore, even if player B begins playing after player A's settlement, the amount of balls dispensed A for both player A and player B during the game progress is stored (maintained) in a cumulative form as long as the clear condition is not met. This makes it possible to detect not only cases where a single gaming machine awards an unexpectedly large number of balls to a single player, but also cases where a single gaming machine awards an unexpectedly large number of balls to multiple players.

The amount of balls dispensed B is the difference between the predetermined initial value of 0 and the value of the stop counter at its highest point within the period until the specified clear condition described below is met. In other words, the main control MPU stores the progress of the stop counter, calculates the difference (i.e., a difference greater than 0) between the initial value of 0 and the value at which the stop counter reaches its highest point, updates this calculation result as the amount of balls dispensed B as needed, and stores it in a specific area of the built-in RAM. The amount of balls dispensed B is cleared and returned to its initial value of 0 when the specified clear condition described below is met. Note that the clear condition described below does not include "settlement of balls (operation of the counting button switch 180)." Therefore, even if player B begins playing after player A's settlement, the amount of balls dispensed B for both player A and player B during the game progress is stored (maintained) in a cumulative manner, as long as the clear condition is not met. This makes it possible to detect not only cases where a single gaming machine awards an unexpectedly large number of balls to a single player, but also cases where a single gaming machine awards an unexpectedly large number of balls to multiple players.

Figure 112 is a time chart showing an example of the amount of balls dispensed calculated in relation to the progress of the limit counter. Here, we will explain a specific example where the limit counter starts from its initial value of 0 and repeatedly increases and decreases as the game is played.

As shown in Figure 112, the cap counter starts from its initial value of 0, then decreases to -2000, increases to 3000, decreases to -4000, increases to 2000, decreases to -500, increases to 4000, and decreases to 2500. In this case, the amount of balls dispensed A is calculated and stored as 8000, which is the difference between 4000 when the cap counter was at its highest and -4000 when the cap counter was at its lowest. On the other hand, the amount of balls dispensed B is calculated and stored as 4000, which is the value of 4000 when the cap counter was at its highest, starting from the initial value of 0. The maximum difference between the amounts of balls dispensed A and B is stored, and the amounts of balls dispensed A and B stored are updated by calculating a new maximum difference.

In this example, the main control board 1310 calculates two types of ball output amounts: output amount A and output amount B. The hall can freely select which one to use to suit its management style. Specifically, an operation switch A that can be operated by the hall manager is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, on the main control board 1310), and by operating this operation switch A, either output amount A or output amount B can be selected. On the other hand, taking into account the control load on the main control board 1310, only one of output amount A or output amount B may be used and installed. Furthermore, the operation of operation switch A to select either output amount A or output amount B may be determined only when the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected, or it may be determined at any time after the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected at any time (in real time).

Furthermore, while the calculation of the base value mentioned above calculates the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls inserted, the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed calculates the difference between the number of shots and the number of payouts. These calculation programs are executed by separate programs in the main control MPU. This means that even if the calculation of the base value is not performed correctly, it will not affect the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed, and it is easy to separately control processes related to the initialization of the base value and amount of balls dispensed, including the specified clear conditions described below. Furthermore, it is easy to rewrite the calculation program for the amount of balls dispensed for each model, making it possible, for example, to easily change which of ball amount A and ball amount B is used for each model.

In addition, while the base value mentioned above is displayed on the base monitor 1311, unlike the base value, it is desirable that the amount of balls dispensed not be displayed at all times in order to prevent fraud. However, when the hall manager performs a specified operation (for example, when a dedicated switch is operated to turn on the power), the amount of balls dispensed may be displayed on a specified display device (for example, the effect display device 1600 or a dedicated display device provided on the back of the gaming machine).

In addition, in this example, the amount of balls dispensed is calculated on the main control board 1310 side, but other methods may be used. For example, a limit counter may be provided on the frame control board 740 side, and commands related to the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 at a predetermined timing. The frame control board 740 may then manage the limit counter and calculate the amount of balls dispensed from the increase or decrease in the limit counter. Alternatively, a limit counter may be provided on the main control board 1310, and commands related to the limit counter may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 at a predetermined timing. The frame control board 740 may then calculate the amount of balls dispensed from the increase or decrease in the received limit counter. Furthermore, from the perspective of reducing the control burden, the amount of balls dispensed may be calculated on the main control board 1310 side, while the above-mentioned base value may be calculated on the frame control board 740 side. Additionally, from the perspective of reducing the control burden, the normal number of balls held and the management of the limit counter may be calculated separately on the main control board 1310 and the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed is performed using a limit counter, which is the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out. However, the amount of balls dispensed may be calculated by storing and holding the "difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out" in the limit counter using the number of balls fired used in the base value described above. In other words, the "number of balls fired" used to calculate the amount of balls dispensed A and B may be replaced with the "number of game balls B that entered the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) (number of balls fired)." In this case, the value of the limit counter can be, for example, "value of limit counter = number of balls paid out - number of balls fired." In this way, by using the number of balls fired used in the base value described above as the value stored and held in the limit counter and sharing it with some of the control related to the base monitor 1311 on the main control board 1310 side, the control burden on the main control board 1310 can be reduced. In addition, in the pachinko machine 1, game balls shot into the game area 5a by operating the handle 160 enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) and are then discharged to the outside; the number of shots and the number of balls that enter should show approximately the same value, and as a result, whether the number of shots or the number of balls that enter is used, the amount of balls dispensed will show approximately the same value.

[10-1b. Game Restrictions]
In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B) reaches a specific value, the pachinko machine 1 executes one of the following three restriction patterns, and the main control board 1310 puts the machine into a stop state, making it possible to restrict play. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, restrictions are imposed on subsequent play, but information related to the game, such as the game state (high probability state, time-saving state, information on the number of reserved balls stored, and information on the currently changing symbols), is retained without being cleared. As will be described in more detail later, the machine is configured so that it can choose whether to maintain or clear the information related to the game when the power is turned back on after being shut off.

First, the specific value is configured to allow selection of one of the predetermined values: 50,000, 80,000, or 100,000 balls. Specifically, an operation switch B operable by the hall manager is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (e.g., the main control board 1310), and operation of this operation switch B allows selection of one of 50,000, 80,000, or 100,000 balls. Here, the lower the specific value selected, the greater the likelihood of game restrictions being implemented, while the higher the specific value selected, the less likely game restrictions will be implemented. Note that, from the perspective of reducing the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, only one of the specific values may be used. Furthermore, the selected specific value may be a common value used for ball payout amounts A and B, or may be selectable separately for ball payout amounts A and B. Furthermore, when operating switch B to select one of several specific values, it may be determined only when the power is turned on and the selected value is reflected, or it may be determined at any time after the power is turned on and the selected value is reflected at any time (in real time).

Furthermore, the restriction pattern is configured so that one of restriction patterns 1 to 3, which have different game restrictions, can be selected. Specifically, an operation switch C that can be operated by the hall manager is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the main control board 1310), and one of restriction patterns 1 to 3 is selected by operating this operation switch C. Note that, from the perspective of reducing the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, only one of restriction patterns 1 to 3 may be adopted. Furthermore, when selecting one of multiple restriction patterns, the operation of the operation switch C may be determined only when the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected, or it may be determined at any time after the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected at any time (in real time).

Restriction pattern 1 is a pattern in which a game halt occurs when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, resulting in a "game halt." When a "game halt" occurs, game balls can be fired into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160, but even if a starting win occurs, no game balls are paid out, the variable display of special symbols cannot begin, and normal game play cannot be played. In other words, although the firing of game balls is permitted, the game (main game) currently being played on the main control board 1310 is forcibly stopped, and the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed.

Restriction pattern 2 is a pattern in which a stopping state is entered with a "launch halt" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. When a "launch halt" occurs, game balls cannot be fired into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160. However, if a starting win occurs, game balls are paid out, the display of special symbols can begin to change, and normal game play can be played. In other words, since the firing of game balls is not permitted, a starting win cannot occur in the first place, and while the game (main game) currently being played on the main control board 1310 is allowed to proceed, the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed thereafter. Specific examples of situations where "launching has stopped" include a state in which the frame control board 740 is unable to circulate game balls, such as a state in which game ball B is not launched from the ball launching unit 550 even when the handle 160 is operated, or a state in which various controls of the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, ball sending unit 700, etc. are stopped, and game ball B is not managed (monitored) in the circulating ball path unit 600.

Restriction pattern 3 is a pattern in which a play-stop state is entered that involves both "game stop" and "launch stop" when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. When "game stop" and "launch stop" occur, not only are game balls unable to be launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160, but even if a starting win occurs, no game balls are paid out, the variable display of special symbols cannot begin, and normal play cannot be played. In other words, the launch of game balls is not permitted, and the game (main game) currently being played on the main control board 1310 is forcibly stopped, meaning that the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed.

In this example, in all of restriction patterns 1 to 3, the settlement process by operating the counting button switch 180 is enabled (permitted) rather than disabled. This allows the player to operate the counting button switch 180 to execute the settlement process even if the player is prevented from continuing play due to any of restriction patterns 1 to 3, thereby preventing confusion among players. However, to guard against fraudulent activity resulting in a large amount of winnings being awarded to fraudulent players, the settlement process by operating the counting button switch 180 may also be disabled in all of restriction patterns 1 to 3. In such cases, it is possible to enable the operation of the counting button switch 180 (enabling the settlement process) by a specified operation by the hall manager (for example, operating a backup counting button switch provided on the frame control board 740) after it has been confirmed that no fraudulent activity has occurred.

Furthermore, while any of the above-mentioned restriction patterns 1 to 3 is applied, the "stopped state" is forcibly continued until the clear condition described below is met. The clear condition described below does not include any clear conditions that are met by any operation on the player's side, and cannot be canceled by the player. As mentioned above, even if the player is allowed to operate the counting button switch 180 to execute the settlement process while in the stopped state, the stopped state continues even after the counting button switch 180 is operated and the settlement process is executed. Furthermore, if the stopped state continues after the settlement process is executed, it is preferable to disable the addition of the normal number of balls for a new player and the reception of data transfer from the game ball lending device 8 so that a new player cannot start playing. Furthermore, in such cases, it is possible to control the display mode of the ball count display unit 140 to a non-acceptable mode corresponding to the stopped state, such as "EEEE," to inform new players that they cannot start playing.

In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, a stoppage state is triggered in which game play is restricted based on one of restriction patterns 1 to 3. This prevents fraudulent activity by preventing large amounts of balls from being awarded to fraudulent players. It also prevents problems such as "addiction" by preventing large amounts of balls from being awarded to legitimate players due to biases in the probability of winning or losing. This allows for the proper management of gaming machines that dispense large amounts of balls.

In addition, in this example, the game restrictions imposed in the game-stop state include "game stop," "launch stop," and "both game stop and launch stop." However, these methods are not limited to these, as long as the restrictions make it difficult to increase the number of balls dispensed after a specific value is reached. For example, as another restriction, the time required for the variable display of all special symbols that begins after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value (variation time) may be lengthened, so that even if a starting winning occurs, it takes time for the results of the variable display of the special symbols to be displayed, thereby restricting game progress. Furthermore, in a gaming machine that controls the game state to either a low-probability state or a high-probability state with a higher probability of winning than the low-probability state, the game may be forcibly controlled to the low-probability state after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, regardless of whether a winning event that would require a high-probability state has occurred, thereby restricting game progress. In these cases, since it takes longer to win compared to before the game restriction, the number of balls dispensed becomes less likely to increase, thereby reducing the desire to continue playing. Furthermore, after the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, "play stops" or "firing stops" is not performed, but a special notification corresponding to the amount of dispensed balls reaching a specific value may be issued using the effect display device 1600 or another effect device. In such cases, the progress of the effect is hindered by the special notification, which can reduce the desire to continue playing. Furthermore, when issuing a special notification, it is preferable to display a special image on the entire screen of the effect display device 1600 so that the conventional effect display cannot be seen at all. In such cases, the progress of the effect is significantly hindered, which can more effectively reduce the desire to continue playing.

In addition, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, the information on the amount of balls dispensed is not erased but is stored and maintained until the clear condition described below is met. After the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, the update of the amounts of balls dispensed A and B (updating the limit counter) may be forcibly stopped, or calculations may continue without stopping. Furthermore, for example, if the update of the amounts of balls dispensed A and B (updating the limit counter) continues without stopping, it is possible that a malfunction or fraudulent act caused game balls to be dispensed when the above-mentioned "discharge stop" was not performed, causing the limit counter to decrease. In such a case, the limit counter may fall below the specific value. Taking this into consideration, it is preferable to continue the limit state without terminating it once the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, even if the limit counter subsequently decreases.

[10-1c. Clearing restrictions on ball volume and play]
The pachinko machine 1 in this example is designed to trigger a stop state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but the gaming hall can choose whether to maintain or clear the "amount of balls dispensed calculated before the stop state was initiated" and the "restrictions on play during the stop state" when the power is turned back on after being shut off.

First, there are five power-on patterns available for operation when the power is turned on. Power-on pattern 1 occurs when the RAM clear switch 741 and setting key switch 1312 are not turned on when the power is turned on (when the power switch 751 is operated). No setting changes or confirmation displays are made to the setting values, and the game status (game information) at the time of power shutdown is maintained without being initialized.

Power-on pattern 2 occurs when the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON but the setting key switch 1312 is not turned ON when the power is turned on. No changes are made to the setting values or confirmation displays are made, but a RAM clear is executed to initialize the RAM built into the main control board 1310, initializing the game state at the time of power cut. However, information related to the setting values is not initialized by the RAM clear.

Power-on pattern 3 occurs when the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON and the setting key switch 1312 is turned ON when the power is turned on. After changing the setting values, a RAM clear is executed to initialize the RAM built into the main control board 1310, initializing the game state at the time of power cut. However, information related to the setting values is not initialized by the RAM clear.

Power-on pattern 4 occurs when the RAM clear switch 741 is not turned on when the power is turned on, but the setting key switch 1312 is turned on. After a confirmation display of the setting values is displayed, the game state at the time of power-off is maintained without being initialized.

Power-on pattern 5 is the same as power-on pattern 1 in that the RAM clear switch 741 and setting key switch 1312 are not turned ON when the power is turned on. However, in this case, the ball removal switch 742 on the frame control board 740 is turned ON, and the game state (game information) at the time of power-off is maintained without changing the setting values or displaying a confirmation message. When the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON, the ball removal process described above is executed, and the enclosed game ball B can be removed from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). Note that when the RAM clear switch 741 and setting key switch 1312 are turned ON and the ball removal switch 742 is also turned ON when the power is turned on, the ball removal process described above is executed first, without changing the setting values, displaying a confirmation message, or clearing the RAM.

As such, of power-on patterns 1 to 5, for power-on patterns 2 and 3, the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON when the power is turned on, thereby initializing the game state at the time of power-off, whereas for power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5, the RAM clear switch 741 is not turned ON when the power is turned on, thereby maintaining the game state at the time of power-off. Note that the game state at the time of power-off includes game states such as high probability state, time-saving state, and winning game state, as well as whether or not a variable display of a currently active special symbol is being displayed, whether or not a hold is being held, etc. Furthermore, when the power is turned on using power-on patterns 2 and 3, the game state at the time of power-off will not be restored, but when the power is turned on using power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5, the game state at the time of power-off will be restored.

Figure 113 is a table showing the clearing conditions for the "amount of balls calculated before the stop state begins" and the "restrictions on play during the stop state." In this example, the system is configured so that one of limited clear pattern tables 1-3, which have different clearing conditions, can be selected. Specifically, a limited clear pattern selection switch operable by the hall manager is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (e.g., the main control board 1310), and one of limited clear pattern tables 1-3 is selected by operating this limited clear pattern selection switch. Note that, in order to reduce the ROM capacity required to store various processing programs, only one of limited clear pattern tables 1-3 may be used. Furthermore, the operation of the limited clear pattern selection switch when selecting limited clear pattern tables 1-3 may be determined only when the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected, or may be determined at any time after the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected at any time (in real time). Additionally, the "amount of balls dispensed" in Figure 113 also includes the "value of the counter for limiting the number of balls dispensed." In this example, if the amount of balls dispensed is maintained, the value of the counter for limiting the number of balls dispensed is also maintained, and if the amount of balls dispensed is cleared, the value of the counter for limiting the number of balls dispensed is also cleared.

Figure 113 (A) shows the limited clear pattern table 1 selected when the limited clear pattern selection switch is set to "1." When power is turned on, power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state at the time of power-off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game limits during the stop state." When this stop state is maintained, a state in which the game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side remains. Furthermore, as a notification method for the outside world, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state are being maintained," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state are being maintained" is also displayed on the effect display device 1600.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 2 clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, but also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game restrictions during the stop state." Specifically, when game play is restricted by restriction pattern 1 described above, "game is stopped," but the "game stop" is lifted when the stop state is cleared. When game play is restricted by restriction pattern 2, "fire is stopped," but the "fire stop" is lifted when the stop state is cleared. When game play is restricted by restriction pattern 3, "game is stopped" and "fire is stopped," but the "game stop" and "fire stop" are lifted when the stop state is cleared. In either case, game play (main game) can be resumed on the main control board 1310 side. Additionally, as a notification method for the outside world, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has passed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to emit red light, a sound saying "The ball output limit has been cleared" is output from the speaker, and an image message saying "The ball output limit has been cleared" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 3 clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, but also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit red light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

Power-on pattern 4 maintains the game state that was in place when the power was turned off when the power was turned on, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 5 maintains the game state that was in place when power was turned off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared" is displayed on the performance display device 1600.

In this way, in limit clear pattern table 1, when the power is turned on, the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the stopped state began" and the "game limits during the stopped state" are cleared (initialized) only if the game state at the time of power interruption is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power interruption is maintained as in power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5, the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the stopped state began" and the "game limits during the stopped state" are maintained. This clears not only the game state at the time of power interruption, but also the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state all at once, making it less likely that the hall manager will make an operational error when deciding whether to clear the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state.

Figure 113 (B) shows the restriction clear pattern table 2 that is selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "2." Of power-on patterns 1 to 5, power-on patterns 2 to 5 are the same as those in restriction clear pattern table 1, so their explanation will be omitted.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state that existed when power was turned off, but the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and "game limits during the stop state" are cleared (initialized). Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit yellow light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

As such, Power-On Pattern 1 is the same as Power-On Pattern 4 in that it maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but differs from Power-On Pattern 4 in that it clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state began or after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state." In other words, with Limit Clear Pattern Table 2, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained when the power is turned on, the hall manager can choose whether to clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state began or after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state" as in Power-On Pattern 1, or to maintain the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state began or after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state" as in Power-On Pattern 4. Furthermore, since power-on pattern 1 does not require the RAM clear switch 741 or setting key switch 1312 to be turned on when the power is turned on, the hall manager can easily clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state begins" and "play restrictions during the stop state."

Figure 113 (C) shows restriction clear pattern table 3, which is selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "3." Of power-on patterns 1 to 5, power-on patterns 1, 3 to 5 are the same as those in restriction clear pattern table 1, so their explanation will be omitted.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 2 clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, but maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for the outside world, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state are being maintained," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state are being maintained" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

As such, Power-On Pattern 2 is the same as Power-On Pattern 3 in that it clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but differs from Power-On Pattern 3 in that it maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state." In other words, with Limit Clear Pattern Table 3, when the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on, the hall manager can choose whether to maintain the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state" as in Power-On Pattern 2, or to clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state" as in Power-On Pattern 3. Furthermore, only when the power is turned on using power-on pattern 3 can the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state began and after the stop state began" and "game limits during the stop state" be cleared (initialized); for power-on pattern 3, since both the RAM clear switch 741 and the setting key switch 1312 must be turned ON when the power is turned on, clearing (initializing) the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state began and after the stop state began" and "game limits during the stop state" can only be done under strict supervision by the hall manager.

In this example, the amount of balls dispensed can be cleared (initialized) by turning the power on in a specified power-on pattern, but as another example, it may be possible to clear (initialize) it every unit of time (for example, three hours). In this way, if the amount of balls dispensed were not cleared (initialized) every unit of time (for example, three hours), the amount of balls dispensed by the previous player's play would affect the next player in terms of whether the amount of balls dispensed reached a specific value. However, by clearing (initializing) the amount of balls dispensed every unit of time (for example, three hours), it is possible to make it less likely that the amount of balls dispensed by the previous player's play will affect the next player.

[10-1d. Details of game restrictions]
In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 enters a stop state in which play is restricted, and details of this will be explained below.

Figure 114 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and play is restricted. Here, we explain the case where, at timing t1, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on balls entering the winning slot, the stop-play flag is determined to be ON, and the machine transitions to a stop-play state. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, restriction pattern 3, which performs both "play stop" and "firing stop," is selected as the restriction on play in the stop-play state. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, when the power is turned back on after being shut off, a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the play state at the time of power-off, as well as the number of balls dispensed and the stop-play state.

As shown in Figure 114, prior to timing t1, the game state on the main control board 1310 side is controlled to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped), and this is a period during which the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side can proceed. In other words, in the normal state where the game is not stopped, when a starting win occurs, the variable display of special symbols can begin, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays as a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing normal gameplay to be played.

Furthermore, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), Lamp C (LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the function display unit 1400), speaker, and movable body are configured to perform their normal operations before timing t1. Note that Lamp C is controlled by the main control board 1310, while the other components are controlled by the peripheral control board 1510. Here, for Lamp C, multiple LEDs on the function display unit 1400 light up or flash as the game progresses. On the other hand, for the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, when the special symbol variable display is not being executed, they are configured to perform an operation corresponding to a standby effect (e.g., a demo effect) while waiting for the special symbol variable display to begin. When the special symbol variable display is being executed, they are configured to perform an operation corresponding to a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) based on the variable pattern command received by the peripheral control board 1510. For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, the performance display device 1600 executes a performance display (for example, a reach performance) that includes a variation display of the decorative pattern, the LEDs of lamps A and B light up or blink in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, the speaker outputs sound in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, and the movable body performs a predetermined operation in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600.

The external terminal board can also output predetermined signals to the hall computer, and by receiving these signals, the hall computer can understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1. For example, it outputs corresponding signals when a starting win occurs, when the special symbol variable display stops at a winning symbol and a jackpot game is being played, or when an abnormality is detected.

In addition, before timing t1, when the player operates the handle 160, it is possible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a.

In addition, the base monitor 1311 counts the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) (number of entering balls) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out), calculates the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, and displays the calculation result as a base value, but it is possible to perform such calculations before timing t1.

In addition, before timing t1, when a ball is detected entering the prize slot, a predetermined number of game balls can be paid out as prize balls, and the number of game balls the player has is increased by the number of game balls paid out as prize balls, and the limit counter is also updated.

Next, when the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the winning slot at time tx, which is before time t1, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some components such as the performance display device 1600 to perform the pre-announcement operation. Here, the ball entering the winning slot at time tx is the ball that entered the winning slot one slot before the ball entering the winning slot at time t1, and even if prize balls are paid out (a number of prize balls is awarded) based on the ball entering the winning slot at time tx, the amount of balls paid out will not reach the specific value. However, when prize balls are paid out (a number of prize balls is awarded) based on the ball entering the winning slot at time t1, the amount of balls paid out will reach the specific value.

The operation during advance notification is performed using the effect display device 1600 and lamp B. Specifically, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "+XX shots remaining until play limit" as an advance notification display, and lamp B flashes an LED as an advance notification light. This allows the player to know that play will soon be restricted. Furthermore, because the operation during advance notification uses only some components such as the effect display device 1600, variable effects based on the winning combination can be executed, and the player's interest in the variable effects will not be lost.

In this example, the pre-notification action is executed when the ball lands one ball before the ball lands in the winning slot at timing t1, but the pre-notification action can be executed at any timing before the specific value is reached, such as from an earlier ball (for example, five balls before that). Also, before the ball lands in the winning slot at timing t1, the pre-notification action may be executed each time a predetermined number of balls are lands or a special pattern is displayed. Another example of the pre-notification action is to display "+xx balls remaining until play limit" based on the number of balls dispensed at that time for a certain period of time after power-on, or at all times after power-on, to let the player know the approximate time until play is limited.

Next, at timing t1, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the ball entering the winning slot. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the winning slot, it turns on the stop flag and transitions to a "stop state" in which restriction pattern 3, which both "stops gameplay" and "stops launching," is applied. In the stop state, game balls cannot be launched, and the main control board 1310 is in a stop state in which it is not possible to progress the game (main game). In other words, in the stop state, the special symbol variable display and jackpot game are not executed, and even if a starting win occurs, the special symbol variable display will not be newly initiated.

Furthermore, the effect display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable body perform their actions when progress is not possible after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1. Specifically, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Play is restricted" as a progress-not possible indication, lamps A and B light up or blink in a single color as a progress-not possible LED, and the speaker outputs a sound indicating progress is not possible saying, "Play is restricted as the daily ball payout limit has been reached."

In addition, Lamp C is equipped with a function display unit 1400 including a 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, and all of these LEDs are lit. However, as another example, the function display unit 1400 may be equipped with an LED dedicated to end-of-play notification, and in the end-of-play state, the dedicated LED for end-of-play notification may be lit and the other LEDs may be turned off.

Moving bodies are also put into an inoperable state where they will not operate after a predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1. For example, if a moving body is in operation before the predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1, the moving body is forcibly stopped mid-operation once the predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1. However, as another example, a moving body that is not in its initial position may be returned to its initial position after the predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1, and then stopped. In this way, even if the moving body is located in front of the display area of the performance display device 1600 once the predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1, the moving body will return to its initial position after the predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1, making it difficult to miss the progress-impossible display being displayed on the performance display device 1600.

In this example, the game transitions to a stop state at time t1, but the effect display device 1600, lamps A to C, speaker, and movable body perform their actions when progress is impossible after a predetermined time has passed since time t1. This means that if a ball enters a prize slot at time t1, a prize ball based on the ball entering the prize slot will be paid out afterwards. However, by performing the action when progress is impossible after a predetermined time has passed since time t1, it is possible to wait for the prize ball based on the ball entering the prize slot to be paid out before performing the action when progress is impossible, preventing any sense of incongruity. However, the effect display device 1600, lamps A to C, speaker, and movable body may also be configured to perform their action when progress is impossible from time t1.

In addition, at timing t1, the external terminal board transitions to a stopped state and outputs a security signal. This security signal is output when an abnormality is detected, a setting value is changed, or a setting value confirmation display is in progress, and the same security signal is output even when the system transitions to a stopped state. In other words, in the stopped state, a forced output state is entered in which a security signal is forcibly output, even when an abnormality is not detected, a setting value is not changed, or a setting value confirmation display is not in progress. As a result, in the stopped state, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the system has transitioned to a stopped state.

In addition, in this example, at time t1, the system transitions to a halted state and outputs a security signal. However, if a security signal based on the detection of an abnormality is being output at time t1, the system will terminate the security signal being output and not output a new security signal, but will continue to output the security signal being output. This will prevent the hall from mistakenly believing that the detection of an abnormality has ended.

In addition, in this example, in addition to the security signal, the external terminal board outputs various signals to the hall computer to inform it of the game status, balls entering the winning slot, and the payout of prize balls. If any of these signals are being output at timing t1, the signals being output are terminated before the security signal is output. This allows the hall to reliably understand that the game has entered a stop state.

Furthermore, after the transition to the no-play state at timing t1, it is not possible for game balls to be fired into the play area 5a when the player operates the handle 160. However, in this example, if restriction pattern 3, which performs both "play stop" and "fire stop" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, is selected, and restriction pattern 1, which only performs "play stop" but does not perform "fire stop" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, is selected, game balls will be able to be fired into the play area 5a when the player operates the handle 160 after the transition to the no-play state.

Furthermore, at timing t1, after the transition to the no-play state, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) (number of entering balls) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are not counted. In other words, it is not possible to perform calculations regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1311. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) (number of entering balls) may be counted, and a calculation may be performed regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, which may be reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1311.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the no-play state at timing t1, for balls detected entering a prize slot before timing t1, a predetermined number of game balls can be paid out as prize balls, and the number of game balls paid out as prize balls can be added to the player's ball count. This allows the player to obtain prize balls up to the number of game balls until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. On the other hand, for balls detected entering a prize slot after transitioning to the no-play state at timing t1, the predetermined number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and will not be added to the player's ball count. However, it is also possible to configure the system not to detect balls entering a prize slot after transitioning to the no-play state at timing t1. Similarly, even if a ball enters a prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and will not be added to the player's ball count.

In this example, when a ball is detected entering a prize slot at timing t1, no prize balls have been paid out based on that ball entering the prize slot, but it is determined that the number of balls paid out will reach a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the ball entering the prize slot, and the machine transitions to a stopped state. However, a different method may be adopted. For example, instead of transitioning to a stopped state when a ball is detected entering a prize slot at timing t1, the machine may transition to a stopped state when the payout of prize balls based on the ball entering the prize slot is completed and the number of balls paid out reaches a specific value. This makes it possible to transition to a stopped state only after the payout of prize balls based on the ball entering the prize slot is completed and the number of balls paid out reaches a specific value, preventing any sense of incongruity.

In addition, in this example, after transitioning to the play-stop state at timing t1, no abnormality determination is made to determine whether or not an abnormality such as magnetism or vibration has been detected. In other words, even if an abnormality is detected after transitioning to the play-stop state, no abnormality determination is made, and therefore no abnormality notification is issued to notify the outside world that an abnormality has occurred. In this way, after transitioning to the play-stop state, by executing an action corresponding to the play-stop state when progress is impossible, taking priority over an abnormality notification, it is possible to ensure that players and hall managers are aware that a play-stop state has been entered. However, after transitioning to the play-stop state at timing t1, it is also possible to configure the system not to detect abnormalities such as magnetism or vibration. Similarly, even if no abnormality is detected, no abnormality notification to notify the outside world that an abnormality has occurred will be issued, even if an abnormality has occurred.

Next, after transitioning to the stopped state, the power is shut off at timing t2, and then turned back on at timing t3. In this example, after transitioning to the stopped state, when the power is turned back on after being shut off, a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off, as well as the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state. Therefore, after the power is turned back on at timing t3, the normal state (a state where the stopped state is not reached) is not restored, and the stopped state is maintained, just as from timing t1 to t2.

The stopped state remains the same as it was between t1 and t2. In other words, since the stopped state is maintained after the power is turned back on at time t3, for example, a period during which the game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side is assumed, and the display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable body perform the operations required for a game that cannot proceed. This allows players and hall managers to recognize that the stopped state has been restored when the power is turned back on after being shut off. In this example, although not shown, before performing the operations required for a game that cannot proceed, the speaker outputs a sound stating, "The ball volume and stopped state are maintained," and the display device 1600 temporarily displays a message stating, "The ball volume and stopped state are maintained." Furthermore, the LEDs of lamps A-C are set to emit light in a color corresponding to the power-on pattern selected when the power is turned back on. It is also possible to omit the period during which the speaker outputs the voice "The ball output amount and capped state are being maintained" and the effect display device 1600 displays the message image "The ball output amount and capped state are being maintained."

Furthermore, after the power is turned back on at timing t3, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Play is restricted" to indicate that progress is not possible, but the message content may be changed from the state in which play was restricted between timings t1 and t2. Also, at the same time as or prior to the display of "Play is restricted," a message is displayed stating "Ball volume and play is restricted, but not limited" so that when the power is turned back on the next business day, the hall manager will be aware that the situation has continued from the previous day, and this prevents the hall manager from becoming confused when play is suddenly restricted.

Furthermore, when the power is turned on normally, rather than when the power is turned back on after being shut off in a stopped state, the normal power-on sound is output from the speaker. However, in this example, after the power is turned back on at timing t3, the speaker outputs the sound "The ball output amount and stopped state are maintained," but the normal power-on sound is not output. In this way, when the stopped state is restored when the power is turned back on, the sound "The ball output amount and stopped state are maintained" is output from the speaker in priority over the normal power-on sound, ensuring that players and hall managers are aware that the stopped state has been restored.

Furthermore, when power is turned on normally, rather than when power is turned on again after being shut off in a stalled state, the movable body performs an initial operation to check whether the movable body is operating normally and to align it with its initial position. However, in this example, at timing t3, after power is turned on again, the movable body has stopped operating and does not perform the initial operation. In this way, if the stopped state is restored when power is turned on again, the movable body does not perform the initial operation, which makes it clear that it has not been returned to the normal state (a state that is not in a stalled state). However, at timing t3, after power is turned on again, the movable body may perform the initial operation.

Figure 115 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when game play restrictions are lifted when the power is turned back on after a power outage. In the above explanation, after the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and transitions to a capped state, the game state at the time of power outage is maintained, and the amount of balls dispensed and the capped state are maintained when the power is turned back on after a power outage. However, in this example, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, the game state at the time of power outage is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls dispensed and the capped state are also cleared (initialized). Specifically, after transitioning to a capped state, a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power outage and clears (initializes) the amount of balls dispensed and the capped state when the power is turned back on after a power outage. Here, the explanation is the same as above up until the power is turned off at timing t2, so the explanation is for the period from when the power is turned back on at timing t3 onwards.

As shown in FIG. 115, after the power is shut off in the stopped state, the power is turned back on at timing t3. When the power is turned back on after the shutoff, the selected power-on pattern is to clear (initialize) the game state at the time of the power shutoff, as well as clear (initialize) the ball payout amount and the stopped state. Therefore, after the power is turned back on at timing t3, the stopped state flag is turned OFF, and the stopped state is not maintained. However, before returning to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped), the system is controlled to a recovery waiting state in which it waits for a return to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped). The recovery waiting state is a period during which it is impossible to progress the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the stopped state, the special symbol variable display and jackpot game are not executed, and even if a start win occurs, the special symbol variable display is not newly started.

Furthermore, the performance display device 1600, lamps A to C, speaker, and movable body perform their recovery operations at timing t3. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "The ball output and ball stop states have been cleared" as a recovery display, lamps A to C emit LEDs in the color corresponding to the power-on pattern selected when the power is turned back on as a recovery light, and the speaker outputs the recovery sound "The ball output and ball stop states have been cleared."

Furthermore, at time t3, the movable body is placed in an inoperable state where it cannot move.

In addition, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing t3, just as it would if the system had transitioned to a stopped state. In other words, in the recovery waiting state, a forced output state is set in which a security signal is forcibly output, even though no abnormalities have been detected, no setting values have been changed, or no setting values are being displayed for confirmation. As a result, in the recovery waiting state, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the stopped state may be lifted.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after the transition to the recovery waiting state, it is disabled for game balls to be fired into the play area 5a when the player operates the handle 160. As described above in detail, if restriction pattern 1 is selected, which only performs "play stop" but does not perform "launch stop" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, it is possible for game balls to be fired into the play area 5a when the player operates the handle 160 after the transition to the shot limit state. However, even in such a case, after the transition to the recovery waiting state at timing t3, it is disabled for game balls to be fired into the play area 5a when the player operates the handle 160.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after the transition to the recovery waiting state, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) (number of entering balls) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are not counted. In other words, it is not possible to perform calculations regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1311.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the return waiting state at timing t3, even if a ball is detected entering the winning slot, the specified number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and they will not be added to the number of balls the player has. However, after transitioning to the return waiting state at timing t3, the system may be configured not to detect balls entering the winning slot, and similarly, even if a ball entering the winning slot is not detected in the first place, even if a ball enters the winning slot, the specified number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and they will not be added to the number of balls the player has.

Next, at time t4, a predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds) after time t3, the wait-for-return state ends, and the game state on the main control board 1310 transitions to the normal state (a state where play is not stopped). Here, the normal state (a state where play is not stopped) is the same as the normal state (a state where play is not stopped) before time t1, and the restrictions on play during the stopped state are lifted. Note that the timing for ending the wait-for-return state does not have to be the predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds) after time t3, but may also be triggered by the hall manager performing a predetermined restart operation. For example, if the power-on operation at time t3 is power-on pattern 3, an example of a restart operation would be to turn off the setting key switch 1312 by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise to return it to its initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns off the setting key switch 1312).

At timing t4, after returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), lamps A to C perform the initial light emission when powered on. Lamps A to C also perform the initial light emission when powered on normally, not just when power is turned on again after being shut off in the stopped state.

Furthermore, at timing t4, after returning to the normal state (a state that is not in a stopped state), the speaker outputs the normal power-on sound. Note that the speaker also outputs the normal power-on sound when the power is turned on normally, not when the power is turned on again after being shut off in a stopped state.

Furthermore, after returning to the normal state (non-stop state) at timing t4, the movable body undergoes initial operation to check whether the movable body operates normally and to align it with its initial position. Note that the initial operation of the movable body is also performed when the power is turned on normally, not just when the power is turned on again after being shut off in the stop state. However, the initial operation of the movable body may be performed at timing t3, before returning to the normal state (non-stop state). This allows the initial operation of the movable body to be completed before returning to the normal state (non-stop state), and allows operation corresponding to the variation effect (effect based on the variation pattern) to be performed immediately after the return.

In addition, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at time t3 during the recovery wait state, but by the time a predetermined amount of time has passed since time t4, the system has returned to normal (a state where the game is not stopped), but the security signal continues to be output. As a result, even if the recovery wait state ends in a short time, the security signal continues to be output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the game may be released from the stopped state.

In this example, after the power is shut off in a stopped state, the power is turned back on at timing t3. When the power is turned back on after being shut off, it is controlled to a recovery waiting state before returning to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped). However, as an alternative example, when the power is turned back on after being shut off, it may be configured to return to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped) without being controlled to a recovery waiting state. This allows gameplay to begin immediately after the power is turned back on after being shut off.

[10-1e. Example of presentation when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game or during the variable display of special symbols]
In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, a game restriction is implemented. Of the balls dispensed, the amount of balls dispensed A is the difference between the value at the time the limit counter reached its highest and the value at the time the limit counter reached its lowest. The amount of balls dispensed B is the difference between the value at the time the limit counter reached its highest and the predetermined initial value of 0. Both involve the value at the time the number of balls held is greatest. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game, or when a game ball enters a prize slot other than the large prize slot 2005 (the general prize slot 2001, the normal prize slot 2002, the first start slot 2003, or the second start slot 2004) during a variable or non-variable display of special symbols, the payout number increases and the limit counter increases due to the payout of prize balls. Therefore, when the balls enter, it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, and game restriction is implemented. Here, we will first explain a specific example of the presentation when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005 during a jackpot game, and then we will explain a specific example of the presentation when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the general prize opening 2001 during the changing display of special patterns.

Figure 116 shows a specific example of a presentation in which the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value when a game ball enters the large prize opening during jackpot play. In this example, 80,000 is set as the "specific value" described above, and either restriction pattern 1 or restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern" described above. That is, if restriction pattern 1 is set, a game-stop state is triggered when the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls), accompanied by a "game stop." If restriction pattern 3 is set, a game-stop state is triggered when the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls), accompanied by a "game stop" and a "fire stop." In addition, in this example, if the result of the special symbol lottery results in a jackpot, a 10-round jackpot game is awarded in which the large prize opening 2005 and the special prize opening 2006 are opened and closed, and a high probability state is awarded after the jackpot play ends.

As shown in FIG. 116 (A), the effect display device 1600 executes a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) corresponding to the variable display of the special symbol, and displays the variable decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Here, depending on the result of the lottery for the special symbol, or during a "consecutive win mode" in which a high probability state continues due to the receipt of game ball B into the first V winning slot 2007 or the second V winning slot 2008, if the lottery result for the special symbol is a winning one, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Also, in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600, a variable display of the second decorative symbol is performed, and if the lottery result for the special symbol is a winning one, "○" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the second decorative symbol. Additionally, the lower left area of the effect display device 1600 displays a pending display for the amount of time that the gaming ball has entered the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004, but the variable display of the special symbol is on hold. Additionally, the lower right area of the effect display device 1600 displays a "consecutive win mode" message indicating that the "consecutive win mode" is in effect, and also displays a "hit right" arrow instructing the player to aim for the gaming ball to enter the large winning hole 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the effect display device 1600 during jackpot play.

As shown in FIG. 116(B), at the start of a jackpot game, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for the V!" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, and the large prize opening 2005 and the special prize opening 2006 begin to open and close during the jackpot game, and the player is informed that they should aim to get the game ball to enter the first V prize opening 2007 and the second V prize opening 2008 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 116 (C), during a jackpot game, the current number of rounds is displayed in the upper left area of the effect display device 1600, and the total number of prize balls paid out as game balls enter the jackpot slot 2005 during "consecutive win mode" is displayed in the center area of the effect display device 1600. Here, "3R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "18,000 GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

In this example, before the main control board 1310 reaches a specific value and restricts play, it monitors the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, which brings the remaining number of balls to "+1500 balls," the advance flag is turned ON, and the advance flag ON information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 then receives the advance flag ON information and continues to execute the advance notification operation until the specific value is reached. The amount of balls dispensed is calculated on the main control board 1310 based on a counter for limiting the number of balls fired, which is the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out. In other words, the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached increases as the number of balls fired increases, and decreases as the number of balls paid out increases. Furthermore, the operation during advance notification continues once the number of balls dispensed reaches a predetermined value (in this example, when the number of balls remaining until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value is 1,500, i.e., when the number of balls dispensed reaches 78,500), until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, so that the player does not miss information regarding game restrictions.

In addition, in this example, once a pre-announcement has been made, even if the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value subsequently falls below a predetermined value (1,500 remaining), the pre-announcement is not terminated and continues until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Specifically, even if the number of balls shot increases after the pre-announcement flag ON information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510 and the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed falls below the predetermined value (1,500 remaining), the main control board 1310 keeps the pre-announcement flag ON without turning it OFF. As a result, even if the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value of 1,500, then falls below 1,500, and then reaches 1,500 again, the pre-announcement will not be switched frequently on the main control board 1310 side, preventing the pre-announcement flag ON information from being sent multiple times to the peripheral control board 1510, thereby avoiding control burdens and complexity.

As shown in Figure 116 (D), when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005 during a jackpot game, and the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls," an advance notice display "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed in the upper area of the effect display device 1600 as an advance notice operation, indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. Here, the final "10R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "18,800 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. The effect display device 1600 continuously displays the current round number in the upper left area, the total number of prize balls paid out as a result of game balls entering the jackpot slot 2005 during the "consecutive win mode" in the upper area, the stop symbol for the second decorative symbol in the upper right area, and a "hit right" arrow in the lower right area, even before the advance notice display is displayed. The advance notice display indicating "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed so as to overlap the background image, but is not overlapped with important information displays related to the ongoing jackpot game. Specifically, in this example, the "current round number," "total number of prize balls," and "'hit right' arrow" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, so the advance notice display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Note that the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of the information displays, as long as the content of the information displays can be recognized without being completely obscured by the player. This allows players to play smoothly during a jackpot game without missing the information displayed about the jackpot game in progress. The movable body can be moved toward the front of the display device 1600 during a jackpot game, but it can also be moved toward the front while the advance notice display, "+1500 shots remaining until play limit," is displayed. This prevents a decline in interest in the game during a jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 116 (E), at the end of a jackpot game, the message "Continuous win mode continues! (10th time)" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, informing the player that the high probability state will continue again after the jackpot game ends (that "Continuous win mode" will continue). Here, at the end of a jackpot game, just as during a jackpot game, a pre-notification display stating "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed. Note that because the message "Continuous win mode continues! (10th time)" is also an important information display that the player must be aware of, the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with this information display. Note that the pre-notification display may overlap at least a portion of the information display, as long as the content of the information display can be recognized and not so much that it becomes invisible to the player.

As shown in Figure 116 (F), during "consecutive wins mode," when a variation effect (a performance based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of a special symbol is executed again, a variation display of a decorative symbol is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Furthermore, a variation display of a second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600. Furthermore, four pending displays are displayed in the lower left area of the effect display device 1600, and it is possible to change the appearance of pending displays with a high probability of winning. Furthermore, while the variation display of decorative symbols is in progress, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. While the volume or light intensity is being adjusted, an image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted is displayed in the left area of the effect display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted begins displaying when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, and disappears after a certain amount of time has passed since the start of display.

Furthermore, while the decorative symbol changes during "consecutive win mode," a pre-notification display stating "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed, just as during jackpot play. The effect display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol change display in the central area, the second decorative symbol change display in the upper right area, the "consecutive win mode" message and a "hit right" arrow in the lower right area, a hold display in the lower left area, and images corresponding to volume and light intensity in the left area. While the pre-notification display stating "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed so as to overlap the background image, it is not displayed so as to overlap important information displays related to the variable play currently being performed. Specifically, in this example, the "decorative symbol change display," "second decorative symbol change display," "'consecutive win mode' message," "'hit right' arrow," "hold display," and "images corresponding to volume and light intensity" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, and therefore the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Note that the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of these information displays, as long as the information displays are not completely overlapped and the player can still see the contents of the information displays. This allows players to play smoothly during variable play without missing the information displays related to the variable play currently in progress. Note that the movable body can be moved toward the front of the effect display device 1600 during variable play, but when the advance notice display saying "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed, the movable body may be moved toward the front. This prevents a decrease in interest in the game during variable play.

As shown in Figure 116 (G), when the special symbol lottery results in a winning combination again during the "consecutive wins mode," "777" is displayed as the decorative symbol stopping symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Here too, the advance notice display of "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed so as to overlap the background image, but is displayed so as not to overlap the decorative symbol stopping symbol "777" (a type of important information display), allowing the player to see the decorative symbol stopping symbol "777."

As shown in FIG. 116 (H), when a jackpot game is started again, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, and the opening and closing of the large prize entry port 2005 and the accessory prize entry port 2006 begins during the jackpot game, and the player is informed that they should aim for the game ball to enter the first V prize entry port 2007 and the second V prize entry port 2008 during the jackpot game. At this point, just like during the previous jackpot game, the advance notice display "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed. Here again, the advance notice display "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed so as to overlap with the background image, but not so as to overlap with the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" (a type of important information display), allowing the player to see the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!".

As shown in Figure 116 (I), during a jackpot game, the current round number is displayed in the upper left area of the effect display device 1600, and the total number of prize balls paid out as game balls enter the large prize slot 2005 during "consecutive win mode" is displayed in the center area of the effect display device 1600. Here, "10R" is displayed as the current round number, and "19,900 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. At this point, the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls paid out reaches a specific value has decreased due to the payout of prize balls during the jackpot game, and a pre-notification display is displayed stating "+10 balls remaining until the game limit is reached."

In this example, before the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and game play is restricted, the number of balls remaining until the number of balls dispensed reaches that specific value is monitored. However, if the number of remaining balls becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the large prize opening 2005 during jackpot play, the game stop flag is turned ON as the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, and the game transitions to a game stop state until a specified clear condition is met, while performing an operation when progress is impossible. Then, at the point where the game transitions to the game stop state, the jackpot play in progress is stopped (interrupted), thereby forcibly closing the large prize opening 2005. No more game balls will enter the large prize opening 2005, and game play restrictions will begin.

As shown in Figure 116 (J), when the number of balls remaining until the number of balls to be dispensed reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the large prize slot 2005 during jackpot play reaches "+0 balls" (when the game transitions to a dead-end state), the upper area of the effect display device 1600 displays a pre-announcement message for a predetermined period of time (5 seconds in this example) indicating the number of balls remaining until the number of balls to be dispensed reaches a specific value. Here, "10R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "19,915 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. Then, when a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the pre-announcement message "+0 balls remaining until the game limit" was displayed, an image corresponding to the dead-end state shown in Figure 116 (K) is displayed.

In this example, the total number of prize balls and the content of the advance notice displayed on the effect display device 1600 are reflected in the amount of prize balls paid out when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005. However, the total number of prize balls and the content of the advance notice display are not displayed at the time when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, which will cause the amount of balls paid out to reach a specific value, but are displayed continuously until a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the amount of prize balls is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the advance notice display. This prevents players from missing information regarding whether the amount of balls paid out has reached a specific value, and ensures that the player is aware of the reason why the game will subsequently enter a limit state. Also, just before the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls," a pre-notification display stating "+10 balls remaining until play limit" is displayed. However, with regard to the prize balls (15 in this example) that are dispensed when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, even if the number of prize balls exceeds the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached, the excess prize balls (5 in this example) are dispensed. This prevents a situation where prize balls are not dispensed for the number of prize balls that exceeds the specific value even though a game ball has entered the large prize opening 2005, making it less likely that players will become dissatisfied. However, if monitoring the amount of balls dispensed is important from the perspective of preventing fraud, the excess prize balls may not be dispensed for the number of prize balls that exceeds the specific value.

In the above, the total number of prize balls and the contents of the advance notice display are not displayed until the amount of prize balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but are displayed continuously until the amount of prize balls is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the contents of the advance notice display. However, it is also possible to end the display when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value and display an image corresponding to the stop state. In other words, instead of displaying the image shown in Figure 116 (J), it is also possible to proceed to the image shown in Figure 116 (K), which will be described later. In this way, the game will transition to the stop state when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, but at the same time, by displaying an image corresponding to the stop state, the player can immediately understand that the game has transitioned to the stop state.

In addition, once the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop state and game restrictions are implemented. Therefore, to prevent players from accidentally firing game balls, it is preferable to make the "hit right" arrow that encourages the game ball to be released invisible to the player after the image corresponding to the stop state is displayed, and in this example it is erased. In addition, even in other situations, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while a display encouraging the game ball to be released (for example, a hit right display, a hit left display, a "Aim for V!" display, etc.) is being displayed, the display encouraging the game ball to be released is made invisible to the player (it is erased) at that point.

As shown in Figure 116 (K), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and game play is restricted, the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the game play limit. The image corresponding to the game play limit displays the message "Game Play Limit," along with messages such as "The daily ball play limit of 80,000 balls has been reached, so game play is restricted," "Please call an attendant," and "The Settlement Button is Valid." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, before the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the current round number, the stopped symbol of the second decorative symbol, the total number of winning balls, and advance notices. However, such game information is hidden (made invisible) when the message "Game Play Limit" is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and instead displays the message on a darkened screen. This allows the player to understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and game play has been restricted, and that the game play restriction can only be lifted by the hall manager's action. Additionally, players can see that they can adjust the number of balls they have by operating the counting button switch 180.

In the above example, before the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, the effect display device 1600 displays the current number of rounds, the stopped symbols of the second decorative symbols, the total number of prize balls, and the advance notice display. However, all such information regarding the game becomes unrecognizable once the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value. However, when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, some of the information regarding the game may become unrecognizable, while other information may remain recognizable. For example, the total number of prize balls and the advance notice display may become unrecognizable, as they are information regarding whether or not to implement game restrictions, while the current number of rounds and the stopped symbols of the second decorative symbols may remain recognizable. This makes it possible to understand under what circumstances the amount of dispensed balls reached a specific value even after the amount of dispensed balls has reached the specific value.

In this example, in order for the specified clear condition to end the stalled state to be met, the machine must be re-powered using a specified power-on pattern after being shut off. This section explains the following cases: A power-on pattern that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and maintains the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 4 and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected; a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on pattern 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected; or a power-on pattern that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on pattern 1 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2 and power-on pattern 2 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected.

First, after the game has entered a capped state, if a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and maintains the ball dispense amount and capped state when the power is turned back on after being shut off, the game restrictions associated with the capped state are not lifted, and the effect display device 1600 again displays the image shown in FIG. 116(K). Although not shown in the figure in this example, before the image shown in FIG. 116(K) is displayed, a sound message stating "The ball dispense amount and capped state are being maintained" is output from the speaker, and the effect display device 1600 temporarily displays a message image stating "The ball dispense amount and capped state are being maintained." The dedicated period during which the message image stating "The ball dispense amount and capped state are being maintained" may be omitted on the effect display device 1600. However, in order to emphasize that the hall manager is aware of the maintenance of the ball dispense amount and capped state, the dedicated period may be omitted, and the message image stating "The ball dispense amount and capped state are being maintained" may also be displayed on the effect display device 1600 along with the image shown in FIG. 116(K).

Furthermore, after the game has transitioned to the stopped state, if a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power interruption and also clears (initializes) the ball payout amount and the stopped state, the game restrictions in the stopped state are lifted by clearing (initializing) the ball payout amount and the stopped state. When the ball payout amount and the stopped state are cleared (initialized), all information involved in calculating the ball payout amount, such as the stop counter, payout number, and shot number, is cleared (initialized). Furthermore, information regarding the remaining jackpot gameplay when interrupted at the time of transition to the stopped state and information regarding the "consecutive jackpot mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game is retained after the game transitioned to the stopped state and at the time of power interruption. However, when the power is reconnected after a power interruption, information regarding the remaining jackpot gameplay when interrupted and information regarding the "consecutive jackpot mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game is lost, and the game starts in the low probability state. For this reason, as shown in Figure 116 (L), the effect display device 1600 displays an initial image in which the decorative pattern is stopped at the initial pattern.

On the other hand, if a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off while clearing (initializing) the ball payout amount and the game-stop state when the power is turned back on after a power-off after a power-off, the ball payout amount and the game-stop state are cleared (initialized), thereby lifting the game restrictions imposed by the game-stop state. Furthermore, information regarding the remaining jackpot gameplay when the game was interrupted and information regarding the "game-stop mode" (high-probability state) after the jackpot game are retained after the game-stop state and when the power is turned back on after a power-off. However, by retaining information regarding the remaining jackpot gameplay when the game was interrupted and information regarding the "game-stop mode" (high-probability state) after the jackpot game, gameplay can be resumed in the state it was in when it was interrupted. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 116 (L'), the effect display device 1600 returns to and displays an image related to the "game-stop mode" (high-probability state), which is the ending period when the final round of the jackpot game has ended. Furthermore, if a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the payout amount and the limit state is selected, a special return notification (image and sound indicating that the game will return to the state before the limit state) indicating that the game will return to the previous gameplay may be made before the game is resumed after the power is turned off and then turned back on. This special return notification corresponds to the return display, return light, and return sound in the return waiting state from timing t3 to timing t4 in FIG. 113 described above, and as described above, examples include outputting a sound from the speaker saying "The payout amount and limit state have been cleared," and displaying a message image on the effect display device 1600 saying "The payout amount and limit state have been cleared."

Figure 117 is a specific example of a presentation where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value when a game ball enters the general winning slot while the special symbol is being displayed. In this example, 80,000 is set as the "specific value" described above, and either restriction pattern 1 or restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern" described above. In other words, if restriction pattern 1 is set, a stopping state will occur with "play stopping" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls), and if restriction pattern 3 is set, a stopping state will occur with "play stopping" and "firing stopping" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls).

As shown in FIG. 117(A), the effect display device 1600 executes a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) corresponding to the variable display of the special symbol, and displays the variable decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Here, depending on the result of the lottery for the special symbol, or during a "consecutive win mode" in which a high probability state continues due to the receipt of game ball B into the first V winning slot 2007 or the second V winning slot 2008, if the lottery result for the special symbol is a winning one, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Also, in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600, a variable display of the second decorative symbol is performed, and if the lottery result for the special symbol is a winning one, "○" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the second decorative symbol. Additionally, the lower left area of the effect display device 1600 displays a pending display for the amount of time that the gaming ball has entered the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004, but the variable display of the special symbol is on hold. Additionally, the lower right area of the effect display device 1600 displays a "consecutive win mode" message indicating that the "consecutive win mode" is in effect, and also displays a "hit right" arrow instructing the player to aim for the gaming ball to enter the large winning hole 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the effect display device 1600 during jackpot play.

As shown in FIG. 117(B), at the start of a jackpot game, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for the V!" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, and the large prize entry port 2005 and the special prize entry port 2006 begin to open and close during the jackpot game, and the player is advised to aim for the game ball to enter the first V prize entry port 2007 and the second V prize entry port 2008 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 117 (C), during a jackpot game, the current number of rounds is displayed in the upper left area of the effect display device 1600, and the total number of prize balls paid out as game balls enter the jackpot slot 2005 during "consecutive win mode" is displayed in the center area of the effect display device 1600. Here, "3R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "17,500 GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

In this example, before the main control board 1310 reaches a specific value and restricts play, it monitors the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, which brings the remaining number of balls to "+1500 balls," the advance flag is turned ON, and the advance flag ON information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 then receives the advance flag ON information and continues to execute the advance notification operation until the specific value is reached. The amount of balls dispensed is calculated on the main control board 1310 based on a counter for limiting the number of balls fired, which is the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out. In other words, the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached increases as the number of balls fired increases, and decreases as the number of balls paid out increases. Furthermore, the operation during advance notification continues once the number of balls dispensed reaches a predetermined value (in this example, when the number of balls remaining until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value is 1,500, i.e., when the number of balls dispensed reaches 78,500), until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, so that the player does not miss information regarding game restrictions.

In addition, in this example, once a pre-announcement has been made, even if the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value subsequently falls below a predetermined value (1,500 remaining), the pre-announcement is not terminated and continues until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Specifically, even if the number of balls shot increases after the pre-announcement flag ON information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510 and the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed falls below the predetermined value (1,500 remaining), the main control board 1310 keeps the pre-announcement flag ON without turning it OFF. As a result, even if the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value of 1,500, then falls below 1,500, and then reaches 1,500 again, the pre-announcement will not be switched frequently on the main control board 1310 side, preventing the pre-announcement flag ON information from being sent multiple times to the peripheral control board 1510, thereby avoiding control burdens and complexity.

As shown in Figure 117 (D), when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005 during a jackpot game, and the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls," an advance notice display "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed in the upper area of the effect display device 1600 as an advance notice operation, indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. Here, the final "10R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "18,800 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. The effect display device 1600 continuously displays the current round number in the upper left area, the total number of prize balls paid out as a result of game balls entering the jackpot slot 2005 during the "consecutive win mode" in the upper area, the stop symbol for the second decorative symbol in the upper right area, and a "hit right" arrow in the lower right area, even before the advance notice display is displayed. The advance notice display indicating "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed so as to overlap the background image, but is not overlapped with important information displays related to the ongoing jackpot game. Specifically, in this example, the "current round number," "total number of prize balls," and "'hit right' arrow" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, so the advance notice display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Note that the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of the information displays, as long as the content of the information displays can be recognized without being completely obscured by the player. This allows players to play smoothly during a jackpot game without missing the information displayed about the jackpot game in progress. The movable body can be moved toward the front of the display device 1600 during a jackpot game, but it can also be moved toward the front while the advance notice display, "+1500 shots remaining until play limit," is displayed. This prevents a decline in interest in the game during a jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 117 (E), at the end of a jackpot game, the message "Continuous win mode continues! (10th time)" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, informing the player that the high probability state will continue again after the jackpot game ends (that "Continuous win mode" will continue). Here, at the end of a jackpot game, just as during the jackpot game, a pre-notification display stating "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed. Note that because the message "Continuous win mode continues! (10th time)" is also an important information display that the player must be aware of, the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with this information display. Note that the pre-notification display may overlap at least a portion of the information display, as long as the content of the information display can be recognized and not so much that it becomes invisible to the player.

As shown in Figure 117 (F), during "consecutive wins mode," when a change effect (a change effect based on a change pattern) corresponding to the change display of a special symbol is executed again, a change display of a decorative symbol is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Furthermore, a change display of a second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600. Furthermore, four pending displays are displayed in the lower left area of the effect display device 1600, and it is possible to change the appearance of pending displays with a high probability of winning. Furthermore, while the change display of decorative symbols is in progress, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. While the volume or light intensity is being adjusted, an image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted is displayed in the left area of the effect display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted begins displaying when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, and disappears after a certain amount of time has passed since the start of display.

Furthermore, while the decorative symbol changes during "Consecutive Winning Mode," a pre-notification display stating "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed, just as during jackpot play. The effect display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol change display in the central area, the second decorative symbol change display in the upper right area, the "Consecutive Winning Mode" message and a "Hit Right" arrow in the lower right area, a hold display in the lower left area, and images corresponding to volume and light intensity in the left area. While the pre-notification display stating "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed overlapping the background image, it is displayed so as not to overlap important information displays related to the variable play currently being performed. Specifically, in this example, the "decorative symbol change display," "second decorative symbol change display," "'Consecutive Winning Mode' message," "'Hit Right' arrow," "hold display," and "images corresponding to volume and light intensity" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, and therefore the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Note that the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of these information displays, as long as the information displays are not completely overlapped and the player can still see the contents of the information displays. This prevents the player from missing the information displays related to the variable play currently in progress, allowing for smooth play during variable play. Note that the movable body can be moved toward the front of the effect display device 1600 during variable play, but when the advance notice display saying "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed, the movable body may be moved toward the front. This prevents a decrease in interest in the game during variable play.

In this example, the number of balls remaining until the specified value is reached is monitored before the specified value is reached and game play is restricted. However, if the remaining number of balls becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the general winning slot 2001 while the special symbol is being displayed, the specified value is reached and the game is stopped, and the game is stopped until a specified clear condition is met. At the point when the game is stopped, the timing of the change time is stopped (interrupted) to prevent the display of the currently active special symbol from progressing, forcibly stopping gameplay and initiating game restriction. Here, we will explain the function display unit 1400 when the timing of the change time is stopped (interrupted) to prevent the display of the currently active special symbol from progressing. The function display unit 1400 continues to flash the LED on the first special symbol display or the second special symbol display (control mode during the change display) (since the change time is not being measured, it continues to flash until the clear condition is met). However, the function display unit 1400 may have the LEDs on the first special symbol display or second special symbol display all lit or all extinguished rather than flashing. In this case, not only the LEDs on the first special symbol display or second special symbol display, but also other LEDs on the function display unit 1400 (such as LEDs on the status indicator, normal symbol display, normal hold indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator) are all lit or all extinguished. Also, if the function display unit 1400 is provided with an LED dedicated to end-of-game notification, that LED may be lit and the other LEDs may be extinguished. Note that when timing of the variable time is stopped (interrupted), the remaining variable time is stored in RAM built into the main control board 1310.

As shown in Figure 117 (G), when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the general winning slot 2001 while the special pattern is being displayed, a pre-notification display "+0 balls remaining until game limit" is displayed in the upper area of the effect display device 1600 for a predetermined period of time (5 seconds in this example) as a pre-notification operation, indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Here, just before the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0," the decorative pattern and second decorative pattern are displayed. However, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0," the decorative pattern display is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stopping pattern (in this example, "767"), and the second decorative pattern display is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stopping pattern (in this example, "X"). Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the advance notice display "0 shots remaining until play limit" was displayed, an image corresponding to the play limit state shown in Figure 117 (H) will be displayed.

In this example, the amount of prize balls paid out when a game ball enters the general winning slot 2001 is reflected in the content of the advance notice displayed on the performance display device 1600. However, the content of the advance notice display is not displayed at the time when a game ball enters the general winning slot 2001, which will cause the amount of balls to reach a specific value, but is displayed continuously until a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the amount of prize balls is reflected in the content of the advance notice display. This prevents the player from missing information regarding whether the amount of balls to be paid out has reached a specific value, and ensures that the player is aware of the reason why the game will subsequently enter a limit state. Also, just before the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls," a pre-notification display stating "+10 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed. However, for the prize balls (15 in this example) that are dispensed when a game ball enters general prize opening 2001, even if the number of prize balls exceeds the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached, the excess prize balls (5 in this example) are dispensed. This prevents a situation where prize balls are not dispensed for the number of prize balls that exceeds the specific value even though a game ball enters general prize opening 2001, making it less likely that players will become dissatisfied. However, if monitoring the amount of balls dispensed is important from the perspective of preventing fraud, the excess prize balls may not be dispensed for the number of prize balls that exceeds the specific value.

In the above, the content of the advance notice display is not displayed until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but continues to be displayed until the amount of prize balls is reflected in the content of the advance notice display. However, it may be configured to end when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and an image corresponding to the stop state be displayed. In other words, instead of displaying the image shown in Figure 117 (G), it may proceed to the image shown in Figure 117 (H), which will be described later. In this way, the game will transition to the stop state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but at the same time, by displaying an image corresponding to the stop state, the player can immediately understand that the game has transitioned to the stop state.

In addition, once the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop state and game restrictions are implemented. Therefore, to prevent players from accidentally firing game balls, it is preferable to make the "hit right" arrow that encourages the game ball to be released invisible to the player after the image corresponding to the stop state is displayed, and in this example it is erased. In addition, even in other situations, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while a display encouraging the game ball to be released (for example, a hit right display, a hit left display, a "Aim for V!" display, etc.) is being displayed, the display encouraging the game ball to be released is made invisible to the player (it is erased) at that point.

As shown in Figure 117 (H), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and game play is restricted, the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the game play limit. The image corresponding to the game play limit displays the message "Game Play Limit," along with messages such as "The daily ball play limit of 80,000 balls has been reached, so game play is restricted," "Please call an attendant," and "The Settlement Button is Valid." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the decorative symbols, the secondary decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the advance notice. However, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible) when the message "Game Play Limit" is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and instead displays the message on a darkened screen. This allows the user to understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and game play has been restricted, and that the game play restriction can only be lifted by the hall manager's action. Additionally, players can see that they can adjust the number of balls they have by operating the counting button switch 180.

In the above example, the effect display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol stopping symbol, the second decorative symbol stopping symbol, the hold display, and the advance notice display before the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, but all such game-related information becomes unrecognizable when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value. However, when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, some of the game-related information may become unrecognizable, while other information may remain recognizable. For example, the advance notice display may become unrecognizable because it contains information about whether or not to implement a game restriction, while the decorative symbol stopping symbol, the second decorative symbol stopping symbol, and the hold display may remain recognizable. This makes it possible to understand under what circumstances the amount of dispensed balls reached a specific value even after the amount of dispensed balls has reached the specific value.

Here, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to a game ball entering the general winning slot 2001 while the special symbol is being displayed, the same action as when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to a game ball entering the large winning slot 2005 during a jackpot game is executed, and an image corresponding to the game's halt state is displayed, etc. In this way, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and game play is restricted, regardless of the trigger, a common notification is issued, allowing the player to reliably understand that the game has entered a halt state.

In this example, in order for the specified clear condition to end the stalled state to be met, the machine must be re-powered using a specified power-on pattern after being shut off. This section explains the following cases: A power-on pattern that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and maintains the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 4 and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected; a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on pattern 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected; or a power-on pattern that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on pattern 1 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2 and power-on pattern 2 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected.

First, after the game has entered a stopped state, if the power is turned back on after being shut off and a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power shut off and maintains the number of balls dispensed and the stopped state, the game restrictions imposed by the stopped state will not be lifted, and the effect display device 1600 will again display the image shown in Figure 117 (H).

Furthermore, after the game has transitioned to the stopped state, if a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off and also clears (initializes) the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state, the game restrictions in the stopped state are lifted. When the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state are cleared (initialized), all information involved in calculating the amount of balls dispensed, such as the stop counter, payout count, and number of shots, is cleared (initialized). Furthermore, information regarding the remaining time of the game when it was interrupted at the time of transition to the stopped state, information regarding the "consecutive win mode" (high probability state), and information regarding reserved balls are retained after the game transitioned to the stopped state and at the time of power-off. However, when the power is re-connected after a power-off, information regarding the remaining time of the game when it was interrupted, information regarding the "consecutive win mode" (high probability state), and information regarding reserved balls are lost, so the game starts in a low probability state with no reserved balls. For this reason, as shown in Figure 117 (I), the effect display device 1600 displays an initial image in which there is no hold display and the decorative pattern is stopped at the initial pattern.

On the other hand, if a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off while clearing (initializing) the ball payout amount and the stoppage state when the power is turned back on after a power-off after a power-off after a power-off, the ball payout amount and the stoppage state are cleared (initialized), thereby lifting the game restrictions imposed by the stoppage state. Furthermore, information regarding the remaining fluctuation time when the game was interrupted at the time of the transition to the stoppage state, information regarding the "consecutive wins mode" (high probability state), and information regarding the reserved balls are retained after the transition to the stoppage state and at the time of the power-off. Even when the power is turned back on after a power-off, information regarding the remaining fluctuation time when the game was interrupted, information regarding the "consecutive wins mode" (high probability state), and information regarding the reserved balls are retained, allowing the game to resume in a high probability state with reserved balls and in the middle of the previous fluctuation. In other words, if the timing of the fluctuation time was stopped (interrupted) at the time of the transition to the stoppage state, the remaining fluctuation time is stored in the RAM built into the main control board 1310. After the power is turned back on, the decorative pattern fluctuation display and the second decorative pattern fluctuation display are executed for the remaining fluctuation time. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 117 (I'), the effect display device 1600 returns to displaying an image related to the "consecutive wins mode" (high probability state), and resumes displaying the changing decorative symbols and the changing second decorative symbols based on the information related to the hold. Furthermore, if a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the amount of balls dispensed and the limit state is selected, a special return notification (image and sound indicating that the state will be restored to before the game limit was reached) indicating that the game will return to the state it was in before the game limit was reached may be displayed before the various effect displays are restored after the power is turned back on after being turned off.

In addition, in the above description, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, a stop state is immediately triggered. However, as another example, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, the timing of the start of the stop state may be delayed until the end of that jackpot game. In other words, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during multiple rounds of a jackpot game, the jackpot game may continue until the final round ends. In such cases, the number of balls dispensed increases due to the payout of prize balls even after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but this increase in the number of balls dispensed is tolerated. Alternatively, the stop state, which involves a "game stop" or "fire stop," may be triggered after the jackpot game has ended. This prevents gameplay from being restricted during a jackpot game and prevents disadvantages in winning prize balls, making it less likely for players to become dissatisfied.

In addition, in the above-mentioned fourth embodiment, a gaming machine of the type that circulates gaming balls without paying out actual prize balls outside the gaming machine (so-called sealed gaming machine, managed gaming machine) was described. However, the above-mentioned "technology for generating a stop state based on the amount of balls paid out (amount of balls paid out A, B)" is not limited to this type of gaming machine, and may also be applied to conventional gaming machines (gaming machines that pay out actual prize balls outside the gaming machine). Furthermore, when applied to conventional gaming machines, it is preferable to set the timing for generating the stop state and game control during the stop state as follows.

In other words, conventional gaming machines have a payout control board instead of a frame control board 740, and this payout control board is typically capable of controlling a payout device that pays out game balls stored in a ball tank on the back side of the machine as prize balls. The prize balls paid out to the ball tray on the front side of the machine are then awarded to the player as real balls. However, with this configuration, there is a longer time lag between the time game balls enter various prize slots and the time they are paid out than with gaming machines that circulate game balls. In particular, it is conceivable that multiple game balls may enter the big prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game, leaving many prize balls stored as unpaid. In such cases, there is a possibility that many prize balls may remain stored as unpaid even after the aforementioned stop-play state begins. In such a case, as in the fourth embodiment described above, if the payout process on the payout control board is stopped at the same time that the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 is stopped when the max-out state begins, there is a risk that the player will not be able to obtain the profit that he or she should have (prize balls that are stored as unpaid). Therefore, when applying "technology that triggers a max-out state based on the amount of payout balls (amount of payout balls A and B)" to conventional gaming machines, the following two control methods are possible.

First, in the first pattern, the "payout number" that is the subject of calculation for the limit counter is the actual number of balls paid out. Specifically, a ball sensor is installed to detect the number of game balls sent by the payout device toward the ball tray, and the detection result of this ball sensor is reflected in the "payout number." This makes it possible to reduce the number of unpaid prize balls compared to calculating the limit counter based on prize ball information on the main control board 1310.

In addition, the second pattern is that even if play is stopped when the machine reaches its limit, the "payout of unpaid prize balls" will continue. Then, once all unpaid prize balls have been used, play will stop completely. Note that the second pattern can be used in conjunction with the first pattern.

[11. Gaming board of the second embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the gaming board 5, which differs from the gaming board 5 shown in FIG. 96 and other figures, will be described in detail, mainly with reference to FIGS. 118 to 124. Here, the same components as those of the gaming board 5 shown in FIG. 96 and other figures will be described using the same reference numerals. FIG. 118 is a front view of a second embodiment of the gaming board, which differs from the gaming board shown in FIG. 96 in that the transparent center gimmick and other features are rendered opaque. FIG. 119 is a perspective view of the gaming board shown in FIG. 118 from the front right, FIG. 120 is a perspective view of the gaming board shown in FIG. 118 from the front left, and FIG. 121 is a perspective view of the gaming board shown in FIG. 118 from the rear. FIG. 122 is an exploded perspective view of the gaming board shown in FIG. 118, with its main components disassembled, as seen from the front, and FIG. 123 is an exploded perspective view of the gaming board shown in FIG. 118, with its main components disassembled, as seen from the rear. FIG. 124 is a front view of the gaming board, with the front unit cut parallel to the surface of the gaming panel, to show the play area through which gaming balls circulate.

The game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 has a game area 5a into which game balls B are inserted by the player operating the handle 160. The game area 5a is equipped with a general prize opening 2001, a regular prize opening 2002, a first start opening 2003, a second start opening 2004, a jackpot prize opening 2005, and a V prize opening 2010, which grant the player a predetermined benefit (e.g., an addition to a predetermined number of balls) when a game ball B is accepted or passed through. This game board 5 is designed to provide an enjoyable game experience by operating the handle 160 to accept game balls B into the general prize opening 2001, regular prize opening 2002, a first start opening 2003, a second start opening 2004, a jackpot prize opening 2005, etc. within the game area 5a and circulating game balls B 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 side of the front component 1000 and defines the rear end of the play area 5a; multiple magnetic sensors 1030 (see Figure 154) that detect illicit magnetic fields within the play area 5a; and a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 154) that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1). A number of obstacle nails 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 gaming board 5 also includes a film-like decorative cell 1130 that is provided behind the transparent gaming panel 1100 and decorates the gaming area 5a, a cell fixing piece 1131 that supports the decorative cell 1130 on the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, a rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000 that is attached to the rear side of the gaming panel 1100, and a main control unit 1300 that is attached to the rear surface of the rear box 3010 and has a main control board 1310 (see Figure 154, etc.) that controls the game content that is played by shooting a gaming ball B into the gaming area 5a.

Note that the game board 5 of the second embodiment differs from the game board 5 of the first embodiment in that it does not have a board holder 1200, and the bottom wall portion of the rear box 3010 and the lower part of the rear wall portion function in place of the board holder 1200.

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 (three 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 regular winning opening 2002 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open and can receive game balls B, a first starting opening 2003 that is located in the center in the left-right direction below the center device 2500 and is always open and can receive game balls B, and a first starting opening 2003 that is located at the center in the left-right direction below the center device 2500 and is always open and can receive game balls B, and a second starting opening 2003 that is located at the center in the left-right direction below the center device 2500 and is always open and can receive game balls B. The game board 5 is equipped with a second starting opening 2004 that can accept a game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for a normal symbol drawn by the lottery, a large prize opening 2005 that can accept a game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for a first special symbol drawn by receiving a game ball B into the first starting opening 2003 or a second special symbol drawn by receiving a game ball B into the second starting opening 2004, and a losing opening 2009 or a V prize opening 2010 that can accept a game ball B received into the large prize opening 2005. The game board 5 also has multiple magnetic sensors 1030 (see Figures 87 and 154) that detect magnetic fields acting illicitly within the game area 5a.

The front unit 2000 is provided with an outlet 1008, 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 1008 is located directly below the first starting port 2003. The sub-outlet 2021 is located at the bottom of the play area 5a, to the left of the center in the left-right direction.

The front unit 2000 further 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 start port 2003; 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 sub-out port 2021; 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; and a frame-shaped center device 2500 which is located slightly above and approximately in the center of the play area 5a as viewed from the front, and has a general winning port 2002, a large winning port 2005, a losing port 2009, and a V winning port 2010.

The rear unit 3000 comprises multiple magnetic sensors 1030 that detect illicit magnetic fields within the play area 5a, a vibration sensor 1040 that detects vibrations acting on the play board 5 (pachinko machine 1), a rear box 3010 that is attached to the rear surface of the play 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 and through which game balls B guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 circulate; a rear decoration unit 3200 located behind the rear ball guide unit 3100 within the rear box 3010; a rear front performance unit 3300 located above the rear ball guide unit 3100 near the front end within the rear box 3010; and a rear rear performance unit 3400 located behind the rear front performance unit 3300 within the rear box 3010.

[11-1. Pre-construction members]
The front component 1000 of the gaming board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 125 to 130. Figure 125(a) is a front perspective view of an assembly including the front component, gaming panel, and front unit of the gaming board of Figure 118, and Figure 125(b) is a rear perspective view of the assembly including the front component, gaming panel, and front unit of the gaming board of Figure 118. Figure 126 is an exploded front perspective view of the assembly shown in Figure 125, disassembled into its main components, and Figure 127 is an exploded rear perspective view of the assembly shown in Figure 125, disassembled into its main components. Figure 128 is an explanatory diagram showing a plan view of the assembly shown in Figure 125, cut halfway up and down. Figure 129 is an exploded front perspective view of the front component and gaming panel, and Figure 130 is an exploded rear perspective view of the front component and gaming panel.

The front component 1000 is formed to be entirely transparent. When viewed from the front, the front component 1000 has an approximately square outer shape and an approximately circular inner shape that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction, with the inner periphery of the inner shape defining the outer periphery of the play area 5a. As shown in Figure 128, the rear side of the front component 1000 is recessed forward from the rear end face to a depth that allows the play panel 1100 to fit in, and the play panel 1100 is attached so that it fits into this recessed portion. When the play panel 1100 is attached, the rear face of the play panel 1100 and the rear end face of the front component 1000 are flush with each other.

This front component 1000 is equipped with an outer rail 1001 that extends in an arc from the lower end toward the left of the center in the left-right direction in a front view, in a clockwise circumferential direction, passing the upper center in the left-right direction in a front view, and extending diagonally to the upper right; an inner rail 1002 that is positioned inside the front component 1000 and extends in an arc from the lower center in the left-right direction in a front view to the upper left diagonal direction in a front view, roughly along the outer rail 1001; and an out guide section 1003 that is formed at the lowest position of the playing area 5a on the right side of the lower end of the inner rail 1002 in a front view, and is sloped 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 has 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.

Furthermore, the component 1000 is provided with security recesses 1009 recessed rearward from the front end at the outside of the portions extending approximately perpendicularly from the lower ends of the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002, the underside of the out guide portion 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, a rear projection (not shown) protruding rearward from the security cover (not shown) on the door frame 3 is inserted into this security recess 1009. As a result, the area between the security cover and the game board 5 (front component 1000) is bent in a complex manner by the rear protrusion of the security cover 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 and the front component 1000 from below the front of the game board 5, the attempt will be blocked by the rear protrusion 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 edge in the lower left corner when viewed from the front. This notch 1010 coincides with the notch 1122 in the gaming panel 1100. When the component 1000 is attached to the main frame of a pachinko machine that dispenses gaming balls to players, this notch 1010 passes through the notch 1010 and the notch 1122 to allow the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage and the lower full payout passage of the lower full ball passage unit to face forward, thereby supplying gaming balls to the upper and lower trays of the door frame.

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, a stamp attachment portion 1012 formed in the lower right corner, a first game board information display portion 1015 provided in the upper right corner, a second game board information display portion 1020 provided in the upper left corner, and a third game board information display portion 1025 provided 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.

[11-1a. Game board first information display section]
Next, the game board first information display unit 1015 in the component 1000 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 131 etc. Figure 131(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the game board first information display unit in the component, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the portion of the game board first information display unit, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an exploded perspective view of the game board first information display unit and the first information sticker base, and (d) is an oblique view of the first information sticker base to which the first information sticker is affixed, as seen from the front.

Attached to the gaming board first information display section 1015 is a first information sticker base 1016 to which a first information sticker 1017 bearing information related to the gaming board 5 is affixed. The first information sticker 1017 bears, for example, the model name and specifications of the gaming board 5.

The game board first information display section 1015 is located in the upper right corner of the front surface of the component 1000. The game board first information display section 1015 extends in an arc along the outer periphery of the play area 5a, continuing rightward and downward from the right end of the impact stop section 1006. The game board first information display section 1015 has a shallow storage recess 1015a recessed into the front surface of the component 1000, two rectangular insertion holes 1015b penetrating the front and rear of the bottom surface of the storage recess 1015a, and two circular positioning holes 1015c penetrating the bottom surface of the storage recess 1015a.

Furthermore, the gaming board first information display section 1015 has two locking ribs 1015d that extend rearward in a flat shape from the outside of one side of each square insertion hole 1015b. The locking ribs 1015d extend rearward to about half the depth of the component 1000. As shown in Figure 131 (b), the two locking ribs 1015d extend rearward from the outside of the far side of each of the two insertion holes 1015b. In other words, the insertion hole 1015b is provided between (inside) the two locking ribs 1015d.

The first information sticker base 1016 has a first information sticker 1017 affixed to its front surface and comprises a flat base plate 1016a that is accommodated from the front in the accommodation recess 1015a of the gaming board first information display section 1015. The first information sticker base 1016 also comprises two locking claws 1016b that extend rearward from the rear surface of the base plate 1016a and pass through insertion holes 1015b, with their rear ends engaging with locking ribs 1015d. As shown in Figure 131 (b), when the locking claws 1016b are engaged with the locking ribs 1015d, their rear ends extend rearward to near the rear end of the front component 1000.

The first information sticker base 1016 also has a positioning protrusion 1016c that protrudes from the rear surface of the base plate 1016a and is inserted into the positioning hole 1015c, and a peeling hole 1016d that penetrates the base plate 1016a from front to back near both the top and bottom ends. With the first information sticker 1017 affixed to the front surface of the base plate 1016a, the peeling hole 1016d can be used to insert a rod from the rear and push the first information sticker 1017 forward, thereby peeling off a portion of the first information sticker 1017, facilitating reuse.

The first information sticker base 1016 is provided in a different color (e.g., black, blue, red, etc.) from the previous component 1000. This makes it easier to notice if the first information sticker base 1016 (first information sticker 1017) has been left attached during the manufacture of the gaming board 5.

This gaming board first information display unit 1015 allows the first information sticker base 1016 to be attached and detached from the front, so when reusing the component 1000, the first information sticker base 1016 to which the first information sticker 1017 is affixed can be replaced. When removing this first information sticker base 1016, since the two locking claws 1016b are located between the two locking ribs 1015d, the rear ends of the two locking claws 1016b can be easily released from the locking rib 1015d by pinching them with the fingers from the rear of the component 1000 and bringing them closer together. Although not shown, the rear of the gaming board first information display unit 1015 is closed off by the gaming panel 1100, so removing the gaming panel 1100 from the component 1000 is necessary to remove the first information sticker base 1016.

In addition, the first information sticker base 1016 is provided with a peel-off hole 1016d, so when reusing or disposing of the first information sticker base 1016, the first information sticker 1017 can be easily peeled off by inserting a stick into the peel-off hole 1016d from behind and pushing the first information sticker 1017 forward.

Furthermore, because the base plate 1016a of the first information sticker base 1016 is housed in the housing recess 1015a, it is difficult for fingers, tools, etc. to get caught on the first information sticker base 1016 from the front. This makes it difficult to replace the first information sticker base 1016 with a first information sticker 1017 bearing fraudulent information that differs from the genuine product, thereby increasing the deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

[11-1b. Game board second information display section]
Next, the game board second information display section 1020 in the component 1000 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 132 etc. Figure 132(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the game board second information display section in the component, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a portion of the game board second information display section, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an exploded perspective view of the game board second information display section and the second information sticker base, and (d) is an oblique view of the second information sticker base to which the second information sticker is affixed, as seen from the front.

Attached to the game board second information display section 1020 is a second information sticker base 1021 to which a second information sticker 1022 bearing information related to the game board 5 is affixed. The second information sticker 1022 bears, for example, the copyright of the game board 5.

The game board second information display unit 1020 is located above the function display unit 1400 in the upper left corner of the front surface of the component 1000. The game board second information display unit 1020 is formed in a diamond shape that is long from top to bottom, following the outer periphery of the play area 5a. This game board second information display unit 1020 has a shallow storage recess 1020a recessed into the front surface of the component 1000, and two insertion holes 1020b that penetrate the bottom surface of the storage recess 1020a in a square shape along the top and bottom edges, running front to back.

The second information display portion 1020 of the game board is also provided with a locking rib 1020c that extends rearward in a flat plate shape from the outer portion of the upper edge of the storage recess 1020a in the upper insertion hole 1020b. The locking rib 1020c extends rearward to approximately half the depth of the component 1000. Furthermore, the second information display portion 1020 of the game board is provided with a guide recess 1020d that is recessed upward from the underside of the locking rib 1020c and is open to the front. As shown in Figure 132 (b), the guide recess 1020d is inclined so that it is positioned downward as it extends rearward.

The second information sticker base 1021 has a flat base plate 1021a with a second information sticker 1022 affixed to its front surface. The base plate 1021a is fitted from the front into the fitting recess 1020a of the gaming board second information display section 1020. The second information sticker base 1021 also has a locking claw 1021b extending rearward from the upper end of the rear surface of the base plate 1021a, passing through the upper insertion hole 1020b and having its rear end locked with the locking rib 1020c, and an L-shaped locking portion 1021c extending rearward from the lower end of the rear surface of the base plate 1021a and then extending downward, being inserted into the lower insertion hole 1020b. As shown in FIG. 132(b), when locked with the locking rib 1020c, the rear end of the locking claw 1021b extends rearward to near the rear end of the front component 1000. Furthermore, the L-shaped tip of the locking portion 1021c locks onto the back side of the flat plate-shaped portion that forms the front surface of the component 1000.

The second information sticker base 1021 also has peel holes 1021d that run through from front to back near the top and bottom ends of the base plate 1021a. With the second information sticker 1022 affixed to the front surface of the base plate 1021a, the peel holes 1021d can be used to insert a rod from the rear and push the second information sticker 1022 forward, allowing the edge of the second information sticker 1022 to be peeled off, facilitating reuse.

The second information sticker base 1021 is provided in a different color (e.g., black, blue, red, etc.) from the previous component 1000. This makes it easier to notice when manufacturing the game board 5 if the second information sticker base 1021 (second information sticker 1022) has been left attached.

This game board second information display unit 1020 allows the second information sticker base 1021 to be attached and detached from the front. Therefore, when reusing the component 1000, the second information sticker base 1021 to which the second information sticker 1022 is affixed can be replaced. To remove this second information sticker base 1021, insert the tip of a tool such as a flathead screwdriver into the guide recess 1020d from the front. The tip is guided by the guide recess 1020d, pressing downward on the locking claw 1021b, releasing the engagement between the locking rib 1020c and the locking claw 1021b. This allows the second information sticker base 1021 to be removed forward. Note that if the second information sticker base 1021 is removed from the front using a tool, it is likely to leave a mark on the guide recess 1020d.

Another method of removing the second information sticker base 1021 is to operate the locking claw 1021b from the rear of the component 1000 to release it from the locking rib 1020c and remove it. Although not shown in the figure, in this case, the rear of the gaming board second information display section 1020 is closed off by the gaming panel 1100, so when removing the second information sticker base 1021, it is necessary to remove the gaming panel 1100 from the component 1000.

In addition, the second information sticker base 1021 is provided with a peel-off hole 1021d, so when reusing or disposing of the second information sticker base 1021, the second information sticker 1022 can be easily peeled off by inserting a stick into the peel-off hole 1021d from behind and pushing the second information sticker 1022 forward.

Furthermore, because the base plate 1021a of the second information sticker base 1021 is housed in the housing recess 1020a, it is difficult for fingers, tools, etc. to get caught on the second information sticker base 1021 from the front. This makes it difficult to replace the second information sticker base 1021 with a second information sticker 1022 bearing fraudulent information that differs from the official information, thereby increasing the deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

[11-1c. Game board third information display section]
Next, the game board third information display section 1025 in the component 1000 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 133 etc. Figure 133(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the game board third information display section in the component, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the portion of the game board third information display section, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an exploded perspective view of the game board third information display section and the third information sticker base, and (d) is an oblique view of the third information sticker base to which the third information sticker is affixed, as seen from the front.

Attached to the gaming board third information display section 1025 is a third information sticker base 1026 to which a third information sticker 1027 bearing information related to the gaming board 5 is affixed. The third information sticker 1027 bears, for example, the manufacturer of the gaming board 5.

The game board third information display section 1025 is located above the notch 1010 in the lower left corner of the front surface of the component 1000. The game board third information display section 1025 is formed in a roughly square shape. This game board third information display section 1025 has a shallow storage recess 1025a recessed from the front surface of the component 1000, and three insertion holes 1025b that penetrate the bottom surface of the storage recess 1025a in a square shape from front to back. One of the three insertion holes 1025b is located in the center along the top edge of the storage recess 1025a, and the remaining two are located spaced apart on the left and right sides along the bottom edge of the storage recess 1025a.

The game board third information display section 1025 also has a locking rib 1025c that extends rearward in a flat plate shape from the outer portion of the upper edge of the storage recess 1025a in the upper insertion hole 1025b. The locking rib 1025c extends rearward to approximately half the depth of the component 1000. Furthermore, the game board third information display section 1025 has a guide recess 1025d that is recessed upward from the underside of the locking rib 1025c and is open to the front. As shown in Figure 133 (b), the guide recess 1025d is inclined so that it is positioned lower as it moves rearward.

The third information sticker base 1026 has a third information sticker 1027 affixed to its front surface and comprises a flat base plate 1026a that is accommodated from the front in the accommodation recess 1025a of the gaming board third information display section 1025. The third information sticker base 1026 also comprises a locking claw 1026b that extends rearward from the upper end of the rear surface of the base plate 1026a, passes through the upper insertion hole 1025b, and has its rear end locked with a locking rib 1025c. As shown in Figure 133(b), when locked with the locking rib 1025c, the rear end of the locking claw 1026b extends rearward to near the rear end of the front component 1000.

The third information sticker base 1026 is provided with two L-shaped locking portions 1026c that are spaced apart in the left-right direction along the lower edge of the rear surface of the base plate 1021a and extend rearward a short distance before extending downward. The locking portions 1026c are inserted into the lower insertion holes 1020b, and the tips of their L-shapes are locked onto the back side of the flat plate-like portion that forms the front surface of the component 1000.

The third information sticker base 1026 is provided in a different color (e.g., black, blue, red, etc.) from the previous component 1000. This makes it easier to notice when manufacturing the game board 5 if the third information sticker base 1026 (third information sticker 1027) has been left attached.

This game board third information display unit 1025 allows the third information sticker base 1026 to be attached and detached from the front. Therefore, when reusing the component 1000, the third information sticker base 1026 to which the third information sticker 1027 is affixed can be replaced. To remove this third information sticker base 1026, insert the tip of a tool such as a flathead screwdriver into the guide recess 1025d from the front. The tip is guided by the guide recess 1025d, pressing the locking claw 1026b downward, releasing the engagement between the locking rib 1025c and the locking claw 1026b. This allows the third information sticker base 1026 to be removed forward. Note that if the third information sticker base 1026 is removed from the front using a tool, it is likely to leave a mark on the guide recess 1025d.

Another way to remove the third information sticker base 1026 is to operate the locking claw 1026b from the rear of the component 1000 to release it from the locking rib 1025c and remove it. Although not shown in the figure, in this case, the rear of the gaming board third information display section 1025 is closed off by the gaming panel 1100, so when removing the third information sticker base 1026, it is necessary to remove the gaming panel 1100 from the component 1000.

Furthermore, because the base plate 1026a of the third information sticker base 1026 is housed in the housing recess 1025a, it is difficult for fingers, tools, etc. to get caught on the third information sticker base 1026 from the front. This makes it difficult to replace the third information sticker base 1026 with a third information sticker 1027 bearing fraudulent information that differs from the official information, thereby increasing the deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

[11-2. Game Panel]
The game panel 1100 of the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 129 and 130. The game panel 1100 is attached to the rear surface of the front component 1000, and the front unit 2000 and rear unit 3000 are attached to it. The outer periphery of the game panel 1100 is formed slightly smaller than the outer periphery of the front component 1000, and is formed in a flat plate shape from transparent synthetic resin. This game panel 1100 is attached by being fitted from behind into a recessed portion on the rear side of the front component 1000. Although not shown, a plurality of obstacle nails are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on the front surface of the game panel 1100.

The gaming panel 1100 is formed from a synthetic resin plate such as acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, polyarylate resin, or methacrylic resin, or an inorganic plate such as glass or metal. The thickness of this gaming panel 1100 is thinner than that of a wooden gaming panel, which is approximately 20 mm, and the minimum thickness required to sufficiently support the installation of obstacle nails on the front surface and the attachment of the front unit 2000 is approximately 10 mm. In this embodiment, it is formed from a transparent synthetic resin plate.

The gaming panel 1100 has multiple openings 1112 that penetrate from front to back. Each opening 1112 is provided in a location corresponding to the outlet 1008 of the front component 1000, the starting opening unit 2100 of the front unit 2000, the side unit 2200, and the center role device 2500. In the opening 1112 that corresponds to the outlet 1008, the area of the gaming panel 1100 below the opening 1112 is recessed from the rear surface toward the front. In other words, the plate thickness of the area below the opening 1112 is thinner.

This gaming panel 1100 has a large opening 1112 for attaching the center device 2500, which is offset above the center when viewed from the front. The presence of this opening 1112 gives it a frame-like shape, but as shown in the figure, the frame is continuous, providing sufficient strength and rigidity.

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.

Although detailed explanations will be omitted, the gaming panel 1100 is provided with multiple mounting holes and positioning holes for attaching and positioning the front component 1000, cell fixing pieces 1131 for supporting the decorative cells 1130, the front unit 2000 such as the starting port unit 2100 and center gimmick 2500, the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000, etc.

[11-3. Decorative cels]
The decorative cells 1130 on the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 125 to 128. The decorative cells 1130 are provided so as to be visible from the front through the transparent game panel 1100, and are intended to decorate the game area 5a.

The game board 5 of this embodiment is provided on the rear side of the transparent game panel 1100 and includes a film-like decorative cell 1130 with a predetermined pattern applied, and a cell fixing piece 1131 that supports (attaches) the decorative cell 1130 so that it can move freely within a predetermined range relative to the panel board 1110.

The decorative cell 1130 is located within the play 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. The decorative cell 1130 is located around almost the entire circumference of the annular area between the periphery of the play area 5a and the frame of the center device 2500, excluding the area where the second starting hole 2004 of the center device 2500 is located. In this embodiment, the decorative cell 1130 is divided into four. Specifically, the decorative cell 1130 is made up of four parts: the area between the inner rail 1002 and the center gimmick 2500, from near the backflow prevention member 1007 to between the starting port unit 2100 and the side unit 2200; the area between the lower right rail 1004 and the center gimmick 2500, including the starting port unit 2100, up to the right end; the area between the outer rail 1001 and the center gimmick 2500, from near the backflow prevention member 1007 to the impact stopper 1006; and the area between the right rail 1005 and the center gimmick 2500, from the impact stopper 1006 to near the center in the vertical direction.

The decorative cell 1130 has an outer edge that extends outward beyond the inner edge of the previous component 1000. The decorative cell 1130 also has an inner edge that extends into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 up to the frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a of the center role device 2500, overlapping with the insertion portion 2511a in a front view. In other words, the rear of the gap between the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 and the outer surface of the insertion portion 2511a of the center role device 2500 is closed by the decorative cell 1130. This makes it difficult to see the components behind through the gap.

As shown enlarged in Figure 126, the decorative cell 1130 has multiple support holes 1130a, each of which has a shape similar to a semicircular long hole with both longitudinal ends shaped like a semicircular arc and a round hole in the center with a diameter larger than the width of the long hole. The decorative cell 1130 is supported by the gaming panel 1100 by attaching cell fixing pieces 1131 to the gaming panel 1100 from the rear through the support holes 1130a. The decorative cell 1130 also has openings 1130b at predetermined positions through which sensors, gaming balls B, etc. can pass.

The support holes 1130a of the decorative cells 1130 are located in a position that makes them difficult to see from the front when assembled into the gaming board 5. Specifically, they are located in a location that overlaps with the frame-shaped front component 1000 when viewed from the front. As a result, even if the gaming panel 1100 and center device 2500 are transparent, the presence of the front component 1000 makes it difficult to see behind, making it possible to make the support holes 1130a and cell fixing pieces 1131 less visible and improving the appearance of the gaming area 5a.

The decorative cell 1130 also has a positioning hole 1130c into which the positioning pin 2510a protruding rearward from the rear end face of the center role element 2500 is inserted (see Figure 128, etc.). Two positioning holes 1130c are provided for each decorative cell 1130, one being a round hole and the other an elongated hole. The positioning pin 2510a of the center role element 2500 mainly protrudes rearward from the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511, which will be described later, but some of it also protrudes rearward from a member attached to the center frame 2511.

By inserting the positioning hole 1130c into the positioning pin 2510a of the center device 2500, the decorative cell 1130 can be positioned toward the center device 2500 even when the decorative cell 1130 is supported on the gaming panel 1100 by the cell fixing piece 1131, thereby reducing misalignment with the decoration of the center device 2500. Furthermore, because one of the two positioning holes 1130c is an elongated hole, the decorative cell 1130 will not wrinkle or crack even if it expands or contracts due to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity.

As shown enlarged in Figure 126, the cell fixing piece 1131 has a rectangular, flat main body piece 1131a, a short, cylindrical protrusion 1131b protruding from the center of the main body piece 1131a, an attachment hole 1131c that penetrates protrusion 1131b and the main body piece 1131a, and a pair of positioning pins 1131d that protrude cylindrically from both sides of the protrusion 1131b on the main body piece 1131a. The cell fixing piece 1131 is made transparent so that it is not noticeable when assembled on the game board 5.

The main body piece 1131a of the cell fixing piece 1131 is formed to a size that almost covers the support hole 1130a of the decorative cell 1130. The protrusion 1131b has a diameter half that of the central round hole in the support hole 1130a of the decorative cell 1130, and protrudes slightly longer than the thickness of the decorative cell 1130.

The mounting hole 1131c of the cell fixing piece 1131 is located coaxially with the protrusion 1131b, and has a countersunk hole on the side opposite the protrusion 1131b. This mounting hole 1131c is used to mount the cell fixing piece 1131 to the gaming panel 1100, and a countersunk mounting screw is inserted through it. The positioning pin 1131d protrudes from the main body piece 1131a in the same direction as the protrusion 1131b, and is longer than the protrusion 1131b. The positioning pin 1131d can be inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel 1100 to position the cell fixing piece 1131 in a predetermined position.

With the decorative cell 1130 positioned in a predetermined position on the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, a pair of positioning pins 1131d of the cell fixing piece 1131 are inserted from the rear through the support hole 1130a into the corresponding positioning holes in the gaming panel 1100. This positions the cell fixing piece 1131 in a predetermined position on the gaming panel, and positions the mounting hole 1131c of the cell fixing piece 1131 coaxially with the mounting hole in the gaming panel 1100. In this state, the cell fixing piece 1131 can be attached to the gaming panel 1100 by threading a mounting screw (not shown) through the mounting hole 1131c from the rear of the cell fixing piece 1131 and tightening it into the mounting hole in the gaming panel 1100.

Decorative 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. Materials that can be used for decorative 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 1131 is attached to the gaming panel 1100, the protrusion creates a gap between the main body piece and the gaming panel 1100 that is larger than the thickness of the decorative cell 1130. A gap is also created between the inner periphery of the support hole 1130a of the decorative cell 1130 and the protrusion and pair of positioning pins. Therefore, the decorative cell 1130 is supported at the rear of the gaming panel 1100 so that it can move freely within a predetermined range. In other words, the decorative cell 1130 is attached to the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100 with a predetermined amount of play. This simplifies the effort required to attach the decorative cell 1130 compared to attaching it to the entire surface of the gaming panel 1100, and reduces the amount of decorative cell 1130 used, thereby suppressing increases in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the decorative cells 1130 are provided on part of the gaming panel 1100, a greater number of decorative cells 1130 can be extracted from the resin sheet compared to conventional cells that are attached to the gaming panel 1100, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the decorative cell 1130 is attached to the gaming panel 1100 via the cell fixing piece 1131 in a loose state, even if the decorative cell 1130 expands or contracts due to changes in temperature, humidity, etc., the difference in expansion and contraction between the decorative cell 1130 and the gaming panel 1100 can be absorbed by the looseness. This prevents the decorative cell 1130 from wrinkling or cracking even if the decorative cell 1130 contracts relative to the gaming panel 1100, and allows the decorative effect of the pattern on the decorative cell 1130 to be maintained.

In addition, the inner edge of the decorative cell 1130 extends to the insertion portion 2511a of the center reel 2500, and a positioning hole 1130c is provided in this extended portion, allowing positioning by inserting the positioning pin 2510a protruding from the insertion portion 2511a. This minimizes misalignment between the decoration of the decorative cell 1130 and the decoration of the center reel 2500, thereby enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative cell 1130.

Furthermore, because the decorative cell 1130 is attached to the gaming panel 1100 with mounting screws via the cell fixing piece 1131, the decorative cell 1130 can be easily attached and detached from the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, by replacing the decorative cell 1130 with one with a different design, it is possible to easily accommodate changes in the specifications, model, design, reuse, etc. of the pachinko machine 1, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1 and, by replacing the decorative 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 decorative cell 1130 is located behind the transparent gaming panel 1100, the distance from the player to the decorative cell 1130 is greater than if it were located in front of the gaming panel 1100, reducing the sense of oppression felt by the player.

It is also desirable to make the decorative cell 1130 translucent, so that light from an LED located behind the gaming panel 1100 (decorative cell 1130) can illuminate the image on the decorative cell 1130, improving the appearance within the gaming area 5a. The illuminated decoration of the decorative cell 1130 can also strongly attract the attention of players, enhancing the appeal of the pachinko machine 1.

[11-4. Main control board unit]
The main control unit 1300 in the game board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 121 to 123. The main control unit 1300 is detachably attached to the lower part of the rear surface of the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000. The main control unit 1300 includes a main control board 1310 (see Figure 154) that controls the game content and the granting of benefits to players, and a main control board box 1320 that houses the main control board 1310 and is attached to the rear box 3010.

The main control board box 1320 is composed of a board base 1330 that is attached to the rear box 3010 and has the main control board 1310 attached to its rear surface, and a board cover 1340 that is attached to the board base 1330 so as to cover the main control board 1310 from behind. The board base 1330 and board cover 1340 are made of transparent polycarbonate. The main control board 1310 is housed in the internal space formed by the board base 1330 and board cover 1340. Because the board base 1330 and board cover 1340 are made of transparent polycarbonate, the condition of the front and back sides of the main control board 1310 (whether or not any unauthorized tampering has occurred or whether or not an unauthorized IC is installed) can be confirmed from the outside of the main control board box 1320.

The main control board box 1320 is also equipped with multiple sealing mechanisms 1350, one for each of the board base 1330 and board cover 1340. When the main control board box 1320 is closed using one sealing mechanism 1350, that sealing mechanism 1350 must be destroyed in order to open the main control board box 1320 again, leaving traces of the opening and closing of the main control board box 1320. Therefore, by examining the traces of opening and closing, unauthorized opening and closing of the main control board box 1320 can be detected, providing an enhanced 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 760, out ball sensor 605, peripheral control board 1510, etc. The main control board 1310 is also connected to the function display unit 1400, general prize opening sensor 3001, regular prize opening sensor 3002, first start opening sensor 3003, second start opening sensor 2505, large prize opening sensor 2506, V prize opening sensor 2507, losing opening sensor 2504, start opening solenoid 2412, attacca solenoid 2414, distribution solenoid 2537, magnetic sensor 1030, vibration sensor 1040, etc.

The main control board 1310 also has a base monitor 1311 consisting of four 7-segment LEDs (see Figure 154). The base monitor 1311 can be seen from behind through the transparent board cover 1340. This base monitor 1311 displays the number of game balls B that have been launched by the ball launching unit 550, hit into the game area 5a, ejected downward from the game board 5, and counted by being detected by the out ball sensor 605 provided in the circulating ball path unit 600 of the main frame 4. In this embodiment, the base monitor 1311 displays the number of game balls B (the number of balls that have returned to the game hall) counted by the out ball sensor 605 after 100 balls have been launched, as a percentage.

[11-5. Function display unit]
The function display unit 1400 on the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 118 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's side) through the game window 101 of the door frame 3. This function display unit 1400 uses a plurality of 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 normal winning port 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 normal winning port 2002.

The function display unit 1400 also includes a first special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the drawing for the first special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the first starting port 2003, a first special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving game ball B into the first starting port 2003, a second special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the drawing for the second special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the second starting port 2004, and a second special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving game ball B into the second starting port 2004.

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 large prize opening 2005 is repeated when the lottery result for the first special pattern or the lottery result for the second special pattern is a "win," etc.

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.

[11-6. Peripheral Control Unit]
The peripheral control unit 1500 in the gaming board 5 will be described mainly with reference to FIG. 121 and other figures. The peripheral control unit 1500 is provided behind the effect display device 1600, which is provided on the rear side of the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000. More specifically, the peripheral control unit 1500 is attached to the rear surface of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, which attaches the effect display device 1600 to the rear surface of the rear box 3010. The peripheral control unit 1500 includes a peripheral control board 1510 (see FIG. 154) that controls the effects presented to the player based on control signals from the main control board 1310, and a peripheral control board box 1520 that houses the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control unit 1511 for controlling light-emitting 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 250, various decorative boards on the door frame 3 side, the performance display device 1600, etc. (See Figure 111). The peripheral control unit 1500 is attached to the rear of the performance display device 1600, details of which will be described later.

[11-7. Performance display device]
The effect display device 1600 on the gaming board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 122 and 123. 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 wall of the rear box 3010. 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 attached in a landscape orientation to the front of the LCD spacer 1610. 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 1611 protruding upward from the top surface and one lower fixing piece 1612 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 1611 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 1612 forward to insert the lower fixing piece 1612 into the opening of the lock slider 3020, and sliding the lock slider 3020 to the left when viewed from behind.

[11-8. 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 125 to 127. 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 has multiple (three 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 normal winning opening 2002 that is provided at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, a first starting opening 2003 that is provided at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, and a first starting opening 2004 that is provided at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B. a second starting opening 2004 that can accept game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn by the lottery; a large prize opening 2005 that can accept game ball B depending on the first special symbol drawn by receiving game ball B into the first starting opening 2003 or the second special symbol drawn by receiving game ball B into the second starting opening 2004; and a V prize opening 2010 that can accept game ball B received into the large prize opening 2005.

The front unit 2000 also includes an outlet 1008 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 1008 and the sub-outlet 2021 are always open so that they can receive game balls B. The outlet 1008 is located at the downstream end of the game area 5a.

The front unit 2000 also includes a second start opening sensor 2505 that detects game balls B received in the second start opening 2004, a large prize opening sensor 2506 that detects game balls B received in the large prize opening 2005, a V prize opening sensor 2507 that detects game balls B received in the V prize opening 2010, a loss opening sensor 2504 that detects game balls B received in the loss opening 2009, and a magnetic sensor 1030 that detects any illegal magnetism acting within the game area 5a.

Multiple (here, three) general winning openings 2001 are located to the left of the center in the horizontal direction at the bottom of the play area 5a. The regular winning opening 2002 is located in the lower right corner of the play area 5a when viewed from the front. The first starting opening 2003 is located directly above the outlet opening 1008 in the center in the horizontal direction of the play area 5a. The second starting opening 2004 is located near the right edge of the play area 5a, near the center in the vertical direction. The special winning opening 2005 is located below the impact stopper 1006 in the upper right corner of the play area 5a.

The outlet 1008 is located at the downstream end of the gaming area 5a, directly below the first starting outlet 2003. The sub-outlet 2021 is located to the left of the three general winning outlets 2001.

The front unit 2000 comprises a start port unit 2100 which is attached to the left-right center of the play area 5a directly above the bottom end of the play area 5a and has a first start port 2003; 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 sub-out port 2021; 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 normal winning slot 2002, a second starting slot 2004, a large winning slot 2005, a V winning slot 2010, and a losing slot 2009.

[11-8a. Starting port unit]
Next, the starting opening unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 118 to 120 and 124. The starting opening unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 is located within the game area 5a, near the lower end in the center in the left-right direction, directly above the outlet 1008, and is attached from the front to the game panel 1100. The starting opening unit 2100 has a first starting opening 2003 that is always open upward and has a width that allows only one game ball B to be received.

When the start port unit 2100 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the first start port 2003 is located directly below the central release section 2513a on the stage 2513 of the center device 2500, allowing for a high probability of receiving a gaming ball B released from the central release section 2513a. The gaming ball B received by this first start port 2003 is guided to the rear of the gaming panel 1100 and handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. After being detected by the first start port sensor 3003, it is discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

[11-8b. Side unit]
Next, the side unit 2200 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 118 to 120 and 124. 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 a sub-out port 2021 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 is provided to the left of the leftmost general winning opening 2001. The sub-out opening 2021 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 is located at a lower position than the first starting opening 2003 of the starting opening unit 2100, and when the game ball B rolls down the shelf 2201, it is received by the outlet 1008.

When the side unit 2200 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the three general winning openings 2001 and the sub-out opening 2021 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 then detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

In addition, the side unit 2200 can guide the game ball B received in the sub-out port 2021 to the rear of the game panel 1100 and deliver it to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. The game ball B delivered to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 is discharged into the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

[11-8c. Upper left side unit]
Next, the upper left side unit 2300 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 118 to 120 and 124. 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.

[11-8d. Center role]
Next, the center role 2500 in the front unit 2000 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 134 to 138. Figure 134 is a front view showing the center role of the game board in Figure 118. Figure 135 is a perspective view of the center role of the game board in Figure 118 seen from the front, and Figure 136 is a perspective view of the center role of the game board in Figure 118 seen from the back. Figure 137(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the upper left corner of the center role in Figure 134 where the big prize opening is provided, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a perspective view of the part in (a) seen from the front, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the big prize opening part in the ball passage of the center role. Figure 138(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged perspective view of the upper right end of the center reel in Figure 135, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of (a) seen from behind, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic cross section of the part extending up and down in the ball passage of the center reel.

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 a normal winning opening 2002 which is always open to receive game ball B and through which a normal pattern is drawn by receiving game ball B; a second starting opening 2004 which can receive game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for the normal pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the normal winning opening 2002; a large winning opening 2005 which opens and closes to receive game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for the first special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the first starting opening 2003 or the second special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the second starting opening 2004; a V winning opening 2010 which can only receive game balls B received by the large winning opening 2005; and a losing opening 2009 which can receive game balls B which have been received by the large winning opening 2005 but not by the V winning opening 2010.

The center device 2500 is equipped with a second start opening sensor 2505 that detects game ball B received in the second start opening 2004, a large prize opening sensor 2506 that detects game ball B received in the large prize opening 2005, a V prize opening sensor 2507 that detects game balls received in the V prize opening 2010, and a loss opening sensor 2504 that detects game ball B received in the loss opening 2009.

The center device 2500 comprises a frame-shaped main unit 2510, a second starting opening door 2411 that can open and close the second starting opening 2004, a starting opening solenoid 2412 that opens and closes the second starting opening door 2411 in accordance with the result of a regular lottery drawn when game ball B is received at the regular winning opening 2002, a large winning opening door 2413 that can open and close the large winning opening 2005, and an attacca solenoid 2414 that opens and closes the large winning opening door 2413 in accordance with the result of a first special lottery or a second special lottery drawn when game ball B is received at the first starting opening 2003 or the second starting opening 2004.

The center device 2500 also includes a distribution blade 2536 that distributes game balls B received in the large prize opening 2005 to either the losing opening 2009 or the V prize opening 2010, a distribution solenoid 2537 for moving the distribution blade 2536, and a pattern display 2518 that displays the special pattern, fourth pattern, etc. drawn by receiving game balls B in the first starting opening 2003 or the second starting opening 2004.

[11-8d-1. Main unit]
The main unit 2510 of the center device 2500 will be described in detail. The main unit 2510 has a device winning opening 2006. The main unit 2510 includes a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100, warp passages 2512 capable of guiding game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2511 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 provided at the bottom edge within the frame of the center frame 2511, which rolls game balls B that have flowed through the warp passage 2512 in the left-right direction and then releases them into the game area 5a.

The main unit 2510 also includes a positioning pin 2510a that protrudes cylindrically rearward from the rear end and is inserted into the positioning hole 1130c of the decorative cell 1130, a spherical passage 2517 that runs along the right-hand periphery of the center frame 2511, a group of guide passages 2520 that run along the upper left-hand periphery of the center frame 2511, and a decorative body 2570 that is attached to the center frame 2511 and decorated with a predetermined decoration. The decorative body 2570 is provided in a section along the top edge of the frame-shaped center accessory, a section along the right edge, and a section of the guide passages 2520 on the left edge. Although not shown, an LED board with multiple LEDs mounted on it is provided behind the decorative body 2570.

The center frame 2511 has a frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 and is arranged to fit along the inner surface of the opening 1112, extending in the front-to-rear direction; a flat flange portion 2511b that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a and abuts against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100; an inflow restriction portion 2511c that extends forward beyond the flange portion 2511b and restricts the game ball B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100; and a flat support portion 2511d that protrudes from the inner periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a.

When assembled to the gaming board 5, the insertion portion 2511a is arranged so that its rear end coincides with the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100. When assembled to the gaming board 5, the inflow restriction portion 2511c has a front end, excluding the bottom edge of the frame (annular), that protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. As a result, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the inflow restriction portion 2511c can prevent (restrict) the entry (inflow) of gaming ball B from the outside of the center role device 2500 (center frame 2511) into the interior of the frame.

The flange portion 2511b and the support portion 2511d are thinner than the gaming panel 1100 (1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the gaming panel 1100). The flange portion 2511b and the support portion 2511d protrude from the insertion portion 2511a at the same position in the front-to-rear direction.

Multiple support portions 2511d are provided partially around the inner circumference of the insertion portion 2511a. Support portions 2511d are also provided in areas of the insertion portion 2511a where the flange portion 2511b does not protrude, reinforcing the insertion portion 2511a (center frame 2511). The end edges of the support portions 2511d protruding from the insertion portion 2511a are formed in a shape that follows the front shape of the insertion portion 2511a or in a straight line, preventing the support portions 2511d from standing out. The amount by which the support portions 2511d protrude from the insertion portion 2511a is within the range from the thickness of the support portions 2511d to the thickness of the gaming panel 1100 (1 mm to 10 mm), ensuring that the support portions 2511d are not noticeable to players while still providing a reinforcing effect.

The warp passage 2512 has an opening at the left side of the inflow restriction section 2511c when viewed from the front, allowing game balls B in the game area 5a to enter. The warp passage 2512 can guide the game balls B that have entered to the stage 2513. A portion of the warp passage 2512 is formed by the center frame 2511.

The stage 2513 is attached to the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511. The stage 2513 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 starting hole 2003 of the starting hole unit 2100, that is, the approximate central position in the left-right direction when the center device 2500 is attached to the gaming panel 1100, is slightly higher than the left and right sides. This stage 2513 has a central release portion 2513a that is slightly higher than the left and right sides in the left-right center, and the lowest portions on both sides (side release portions 2513b) that are inclined so that they slope downward toward the front, and game balls B can be released into the gaming area 5a from these portions.

When the stage 2513 is assembled to the game board 5, its elevated central portion in the left-right direction (central release section 2513a) is located directly above the first starting hole 2003 of the starting hole unit 2100. As a result, when a game ball B is released from the central release section 2513a in the center of the stage 2513, there is an extremely high probability that it will be received by the first starting hole 2003.

The main unit 2510 is provided with multiple positioning pins 2510a, which can be inserted into the positioning holes 1130c of the decorative cell 1130 located behind the gaming panel 1100 to position the decorative cell 1130 relative to the center gimmick 2500. Most of the multiple positioning pins 2510a protrude rearward from the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511, but some protrude rearward from components attached to the center frame 2511 (for example, a board cover located behind the decorative LED board).

[11-8d-2. Center ball passage]
The ball passage 2517 in the main unit 2510 of the center role 2500 is provided vertically long along the right edge of the center role 2500. In other words, the ball passage 2517 has an entrance that opens near the lower end of the impact stopper 1006, extends from there along the right rail 1005 to its lower end, then extends to the left along the lower right rail 1004, and has an exit that opens near the outlet 1008 below the first starting port 2003 (see FIG. 124, etc.).

The rear wall of the ball passage 2517 is formed by the flange portion 2511b of the center frame 2511 or the game panel 1100, and the front wall is formed by the front plate 2571 of the decorative body 2570. This ball passage 2517 is provided with, from top to bottom, a large prize opening 2005, a second starting opening 2004, and a regular prize opening 2002.

The ball passage 2517 can be broadly divided into an attacca passage section 2517a continuing from the entrance and in which the large prize opening 2005 is provided, a right edge passage section 2517b extending downward in an arc along the right edge (right rail 1005) of the center device 2500, a first nailed passage section 2517c provided between the right edge passage section 2517b and the second starting opening 2004 and in which obstacle nails are planted, a left passage section 2517d extending downward through the left side of the second starting opening 2004, a right passage section 2517e extending downward through the right side of the second starting opening 2004, a second nailed passage section 2517f provided between the left passage section 2517d and the right passage section 2517e and the normal prize opening 2002 and in which obstacle nails are planted, and an exit passage section 2517g through which game balls B not accepted by the normal prize opening 2002 circulate and extend to the exit.

As shown in Figure 137(a), the attacca passage portion 2517a of the ball passage 2517 extends downward a short distance from near the bottom end of the impact stop portion 1006, then bends to the left, extends to the left so as to be two to three times lower than the diameter D of the game ball B, then turns back to the right and extends lower to the right as far as the right rail 1005 (the outer peripheral edge of the flange portion 2511b). The bottom wall of the portion of this attacca passage portion 2517a extending to the right is formed by the large prize opening door 2413. Therefore, when the large prize opening door 2413 is advanced and closing the large prize opening 2005, the game ball B that flows down is guided by the large prize opening door 2413 to the downstream right edge passage section 2517b, and when the large prize opening door 2413 is advanced and opening the large prize opening 2005, the game ball B that flows down is received by the large prize opening 2005.

The large prize opening door 2413 in the attacca passage section 2517a is a flat plate that is long from side to side and is inclined so that it is lower to the right. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the large prize opening door 2413 can be moved back and forth to open and close the large prize opening 2005 by the forward and backward movement of the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414. When the attacca solenoid 2414 is not energized, the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414 protrudes due to the spring force, causing the large prize opening door 2413 to move forward and close the large prize opening 2005. When the attacca solenoid 2414 is energized, the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414 retracts against the spring force, causing the large prize opening door 2413 to move backward and open the large prize opening 2005.

When game ball B is received by the large prize opening 2005, it is guided to the right below the large prize opening 2005 (large prize opening door 2413), then flows downward along the left side of the right edge passage 2517b, and is detected by the large prize opening sensor 2506. Game ball B detected by the large prize opening sensor 2506 is sorted by the sorting blade 2536 into either the losing opening 2009 or the V prize opening 2010.

This attacca passage section 2517a is provided with a passage decoration section 2590, which will be described in detail later, that decorates the ball passage 2517 and can slow down the circulation speed of the game ball B.

The right edge passage section 2517b extends downward in an arc shape from the downstream end of the attacca passage section 2517a so that its left wall forms the rolling surface for the game ball B, and its lower end bends left in a crank shape before bending downward again. This right edge passage section 2517b also has a passage decoration section 2590 that decorates the ball passage 2517 and can slow down the flow speed of the game ball B. To the left of this right edge passage section 2517b are a large prize opening sensor 2506 that detects game balls B received in the large prize opening 2005, a distribution blade 2536 for distributing game balls B received in the large prize opening 2005 and detected by the large prize opening sensor 2506, a losing opening 2009, and a V prize opening 2010.

The right edge passage section 2517b has multiple (two in this case) decorative protrusions 2511f on the left wall, at a position slightly higher than the top of the sorting blade 2536. The decorative protrusions 2511f are formed in a semi-cylindrical shape extending forward and backward, and can glow by reflecting and refracting light from decorative LEDs provided on the game board 5. The illumination of these decorative protrusions 2511f can direct the player's gaze toward the sorting blade 2536, allowing the player to enjoy watching whether or not the game ball B will be sorted into the V winning opening 2010. Furthermore, because the multiple decorative protrusions 2511f form part of the rolling surface along which the game ball B rolls in the right edge passage section 2517b, the multiple decorative protrusions 2511f can slow down the circulation speed of the game ball B.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the sorting blade 2536 rotates between an upright position and a tilted position with its upper end moved to the right when driven (energized) by the sorting solenoid 2537. When the sorting blade 2536 is upright, game ball B is sorted into the losing hole 2009, and when the sorting blade 2536 is tilted, game ball B is sorted into the V winning hole 2010. This sorting blade 2536 moves at a regular interval. Therefore, at the time when game ball B is sorted into the V winning hole 2010, the player can be kept on the edge of their seats depending on whether game ball B will be accepted by the large winning hole 2005.

The first nail passage section 2517c is formed in a vertically long rectangle with the downstream end (exit) of the right edge passage section 2517b at its center in the left-right direction, and does not have a flange section 2511b except along the left and right edges, leaving the front of the gaming panel 1100 exposed in the areas where the flange section 2511b is not provided. Although not shown in the figure, multiple nails are planted in the exposed areas of the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, the first nail passage section 2517c has a nail head accommodation hole 2571a in which the heads of the nails are accommodated in the front panel 2571 provided at the front.

The lower end of the first nailed passage section 2517c is located slightly lower than the entrance to the warp passage 2512 located on the left side of the center device 2500. A second starting port passage entrance 2415, which can communicate with the second starting port 2004, opens at the lower end of the first nailed passage section 2517c directly below the exit of the right edge passage section 2517b. In this embodiment, only game ball B that passes through this second starting port passage entrance 2415 has the potential to be received by the second starting port 2004.

In this embodiment, the second starting port 2004 opens to the right at a location lower and to the left of the second starting port passage entrance 2415, and a second starting port door 2411 that can move back and forth is provided to the right of that. In addition, below the second starting port passage entrance 2415, a guide piece 2411a that can move back and forth is provided, sloping downward from the location directly below it toward the second starting port 2004.

In this embodiment, detailed illustrations are omitted, but when the start port solenoid 2412 is driven (energized), the second start port door 2411 moves forward and backward, and the guide piece 2411a moves forward and backward in the opposite direction to the second start port door 2411. When the start port solenoid 2412 is not energized, the second start port door 2411 moves forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), making the second start port 2004 unreceivable, and the guide piece 2411a moves backward, making it impossible to guide game ball B to the second start port 2004. On the other hand, when the start port solenoid 2412 is energized due to a normal win on a normal symbol, the second start port door 2411 moves backward, making the second start port 2004 receivable, and the guide piece 2411a moves forward, making it possible to guide game ball B to the second start port 2004.

The left passage section 2517d is used for circulating game balls B that have flowed down to the left of the second starting port passage entrance 2415 in the first nailed passage section 2517c, and is connected to the upper end of the downstream second nailed passage section 2517f at a position slightly higher than the stage 2513. The right passage section 2517e is used for circulating game balls B that have entered the second starting port passage entrance 2415 but not been accepted by the second starting port 2004 in the first nailed passage section 2517c, and game balls B that have flowed down to the right of the second starting port passage entrance 2415, and is connected to the upper end of the second nailed passage section 2517f adjacent to the right side of the left passage section 2517d.

The second nail passage section 2517f is formed in a rectangular shape that is long from side to side, and does not have a flange section 2511b throughout, leaving the front of the gaming panel 1100 exposed. Although not shown in the figure, multiple nails are planted in the exposed area of the gaming panel 1100. The second nail passage section 2517f also has a nail head accommodating hole 2571a in the front panel 2571, which accommodates the heads of the nails. A regular winning opening 2002 is located in the center of the second nail passage section 2517f in the left-right direction.

The exit passage section 2517g extends downward from both the left and right outer portions of the normal winning opening 2002, joins below the normal winning opening 2002, and then extends lower to the left along the lower right rail 1004. The outlet at the downstream end of the exit passage section 2517g is located lower than the first starting opening 2003, and game ball B that flows through the exit passage section 2517g is not received by the first starting opening 2003, but is discharged from the outlet 1008. This exit passage section 2517g is also provided with a passage decoration section 2590.

[11-8d-3. Guide passages]
The main unit 2510 of the center role device 2500 is provided below the upper left corner of the center frame 2511 and includes a guide passage group 2520 consisting of two passages through which the game ball B can flow. The guide passage group 2520 guides the game ball B above the area where the entrance to the warp passage 2512 is open. The guide passage group 2520 has a rear wall formed by the center frame 2511 and a front wall formed by the front panel 2571 of the decorative body 2570. This guide passage group 2520 is also provided with a passage decorative part 2590.

As shown in FIG. 124, the guide passage group 2520 is located outside the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center frame 2511, and is composed of a first guide passage 2521 whose upper entrance is located adjacent to the right side of the upper end of the inner rail 1002, and a second guide passage 2522 whose upper entrance is located adjacent to the right side of the entrance of the first guide passage 2521. The guide passage group 2520 (first guide passage 2521 and second guide passage 2522) are both formed from colorless and transparent materials, and the game balls B flowing through them can be seen from the front.

The first guide passage 2521 extends downward in an arc along the right side of the inner rail 1002, making a short bend to the right near its bottom end before bending downward again. The second guide passage 2522 extends downward along the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center frame 2511, making a short bend to the right near its bottom end before bending downward again. The first guide passage 2521 and the second guide passage 2522 are separated by a partition portion 2511e. The width of each of the first guide passage 2521 and the second guide passage 2522 is wide enough to allow game balls B to flow in a single file.

The exits of the first guide passage 2521 and the second guide passage 2522 are located above the vertical center of the game area 5a. Because the second guide passage 2522 is located adjacent to the inflow restriction section 2511c, a game ball B guided into the second guide passage 2522 is more likely to enter the warp passage 2512 than a game ball B guided into the first guide passage 2521.

[11-8d-4. Pattern display]
In this embodiment, the symbol display 2518 is provided in the upper right corner within the frame of the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center frame 2511. This symbol display 2518 is composed of 10 LEDs, and displays the special symbol, fourth symbol, etc. drawn by the reception of the game ball B into the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004 by turning on, off, flashing, emitting light of a different color, etc., of each LED.

[11-8e. Corridor decoration]
The aisle decoration 2590 provided on the center role 2500 and the like will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 137 to 143. Figure 139(a) is a front view of an attacca unit provided with an aisle decoration, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the aisle decoration in the attacca unit of (a). Figure 140 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of an example of an aisle decoration. Figures 141(a) to (c) are explanatory diagrams showing examples of the shapes of recesses in the aisle decoration, Figures 142(a) to (c) are explanatory diagrams showing examples of the shapes of protrusions in the aisle decoration, and Figures 143(a) to (c) are explanatory diagrams showing aisle decorations equipped with multiple protrusions and recesses of different shapes.

The passage decorative portion 2590 decorates the ball passage 2591 through which game balls B, such as the ball passage 2517, flow using three-dimensional shapes such as protrusions 2594 and recesses 2595 on the back side of the protrusions 2594 provided on the rear plate portion 2592 and front plate portion 2593 that form the inner wall of the ball passage 2591. Furthermore, the passage decorative portion 2590 can slow down (attenuate) the flow speed of the game balls B by using the protrusions 2594 that protrude into the ball passage 2591.

The passage decorative portion 2590 may be provided, for example, in the attacca passage portion 2517a of the ball passage 2517 (ball passage 2591), as shown in Figure 137. First, the attacca passage portion 2517a is composed of a flange portion 2511b (rear plate portion 2592) and a front plate 2571 (front plate portion 2593) that is provided facing the front of the flange portion 2511b with a gap that allows the game ball B to flow between them. The passage decorative portion 2590 has a rear plate convex portion 2594a protruding forward from the flange portion 2511b, a rear plate concave portion 2595a provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a, a front plate convex portion 2594b protruding rearward from the front plate 2571 (front plate portion 2593), and a front plate concave portion 2595b provided on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b.

The rear plate protrusions 2594a of the attacca passage 2517a are provided at intervals along the flow direction of the attacca passage 2517a. When viewed from the front, the rear plate protrusions 2594a are rectangular in shape with the longer side in the flow direction, and the center of the length of the rectangle is formed into a triangle (triangular roof shape) that protrudes forward. The rear plate protrusions 2594a of the attacca passage 2517a are provided with a height from the bottom of the passage that includes half the diameter of the game ball B (for example, 1 1/2 mm). The rear plate recesses 2595a of the attacca passage 2517a are provided on each rear plate protrusion 2594a, and are recessed forward into a triangle that is roughly similar in shape to the rear plate protrusion 2594a.

The front plate protrusions 2594b of the attacca passage 2517a are spaced apart along the flow direction of the attacca passage 2517a, alternating with the rear plate protrusions 2594a in the front-to-back direction. When viewed from the front, the front plate protrusions 2594b are elongated rectangles that are longer in the flow direction and shorter at the top and bottom than the rear plate protrusions 2594a, with the center of the rectangle protruding backward in a triangular shape (triangular roof shape). The front plate protrusions 2594b of the attacca passage 2517a are located at a height from the bottom of the passage that includes half the diameter of the game ball B (e.g., 1 1/2 mm). The front plate recesses 2595b of the attacca passage 2517a are located on each front plate protrusion 2594b, and are recessed backward in a triangular shape roughly similar to the shape of the front plate protrusions 2594b.

As shown in Figure 137(c), the passage decorative portion 2590 of the attacca passage portion 2517a has a special component 2519, such as an LED board, installed behind the flange portion 2511b with a gap large enough to prevent fingers from entering. This special component 2519 covers the rear of the rear panel recess 2595a, making it untouchable. This prevents the rear panel recess 2595a from being soiled by a worker's fingers touching it during the manufacturing of the gaming board 5, and ensures that the decorative light is reflected and refracted in the rear panel recess 2595a. Furthermore, the presence of the special component 2519 makes it difficult for dirt and dust to enter the rear panel recess 2595a, preventing the appearance from being marred by dirt and other contaminants.

The passage decorative portion 2590 of the attacca passage portion 2517a is made of a transparent material, with the flange portion 2511b on which the rear plate convex portion 2594a and rear plate concave portion 2595a are provided, and the front plate 2571 on which the front plate convex portion 2594b and front plate concave portion 2595b are provided, so that each can reflect and refract light (decorative light) from the LEDs on the LED board provided on the game board 5. This allows the convex portions 2594 such as the rear plate convex portion 2594a and front plate convex portion 2594b and the concave portions 2595 such as the rear plate concave portion 2595a and front plate concave portion 2595b to be illuminated and decorated. Therefore, by illuminating the passage decoration 2590 of the attacca passage 2517a, the player's gaze can be directed towards the attacca passage 2517a, which increases the player's anticipation of winning at the large prize slot 2005 provided in the attacca passage 2517a and prevents the player's interest from declining.

In addition, in the passage decorative portion 2590 of the attacca passage portion 2517a, the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b provided on the front plate 2571 are made long and narrow, so that the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b do not obstruct the visibility of the game ball B flowing behind it.

Furthermore, the passage decorative portion 2590 of the attacca passage 2517a has multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a protruding forward from the flange portion 2511b and multiple front plate protrusions 2594b protruding rearward from the front plate 2571, which are arranged in a staggered pattern (alternating) in the direction of flow of the game balls B. This causes the game balls B to snake back and forth as they flow, reducing their flow speed. This makes it possible for many game balls B to remain for a long time on the large prize opening door 2413, which forms part of the bottom surface of the attacca passage 2517a. In other words, the rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b of the attacca passage 2517a are intended to slow down the rolling speed of the game balls B, thereby allowing many game balls B to remain on the large prize opening door 2413.

The rear plate protrusion 2594a and front plate protrusion 2594b of this attacca passage 2517a each have a triangular convex shape and protrude slightly compared to the rear plate protrusion 2594a and front plate protrusion 2594b provided in the door-over passage 2416 of the attacca unit 2400, which will be described later. As a result, the passage in the attacca passage 2517a (above the large prize opening door 2413) meanders slightly (slightly) back and forth.

Therefore, for example, even if game ball B hits the impact stopper 1006 with force during a "right hit" and enters the attack passage 2517a at high speed, the presence of multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b allows game ball B to slow down sufficiently before reaching the large prize opening 2005 (large prize opening door 2413), making game ball B easier to see and allowing players to enjoy its movement. Furthermore, because the speed of game ball B rolling on the large prize opening door 2413 can be slowed down, players can get excited and thrilled depending on whether the large prize opening door 2413 opens just as game ball B is rolling on it, increasing anticipation of winning at the large prize opening 2005 and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, the passage decorative portion 2590 may be provided, for example, on the right edge passage portion 2517b of the ball passage 2517 (ball passage 2591), as shown in Figure 138. First, the right edge passage portion 2517b is composed of a flange portion 2511b (rear plate portion 2592) and a front plate 2571 (front plate portion 2593) that is provided facing the front of the flange portion 2511b with a gap that allows the game ball B to flow between them. The passage decorative portion 2590 has a rear plate convex portion 2594a protruding forward from the flange portion 2511b, a rear plate concave portion 2595a provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a, a front plate convex portion 2594b protruding rearward from the front plate 2571 (front plate portion 2593), and a front plate concave portion 2595b provided on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b.

The rear plate protrusions 2594a of the right edge passage section 2517b are provided at intervals along the arc-shaped flow direction of the right edge passage section 2517b. When viewed from the front, each rear plate protrusion 2594a has a rectangular shape that is long in the radial direction of the arc, and is formed into a triangle (triangular roof shape) with the center of the rectangle's short side protruding forward. The multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a in the right edge passage section 2517b are provided at approximately equal intervals in the flow direction. The rear plate recesses 2595a of the right edge passage section 2517b are provided in each rear plate protrusion 2594a and are recessed forward into a triangle that is approximately similar in shape to the rear plate protrusion 2594a.

The front plate protrusions 2594b of the right edge passage section 2517b are provided at intervals along the arc-shaped flow direction of the right edge passage section 2517b, with the front and rear plate protrusions 2594a staggered in the front-to-rear direction. When viewed from the front, the front plate protrusions 2594b are rectangular in shape with their longer sides in the radial direction of the arc, and the center of the rectangular short side extends in a triangular shape (triangular roof shape) with the rearward protruding triangle. The multiple front plate protrusions 2594b in the right edge passage section 2517b are provided at approximately equal intervals in the flow direction. The front plate recesses 2595b of the right edge passage section 2517b are provided in each front plate protrusion 2594b and are recessed rearward in a triangular shape that is approximately similar to the shape of the front plate protrusion 2594b.

As shown in Figure 138(c), the passage decorative portion 2590 of the right edge passage portion 2517b has a gaming panel 1100 abutting against the rear surface of the flange portion 2511b as a specific member 2519. This gaming panel 1100 covers the rear of the rear panel recess 2595a, making it untouchable. This prevents the rear panel recess 2595a from being soiled by an operator's fingers touching it during the manufacturing of the gaming board 5, and ensures that decorative light is reflected and refracted in the rear panel recess 2595a. Furthermore, the provision of the specific member 2519 makes it difficult for dirt and dust to enter the rear panel recess 2595a, preventing the rear panel recess 2595a from looking unsightly due to dirt and dust. Note that while Figure 138(c) shows the specific member 2519 in contact with the rear surface of the flange portion 2511b, there may be a gap between the flange portion 2511b that is large enough to prevent a finger from getting stuck in. In other words, even if a gap is provided, it is sufficient as long as a finger cannot get stuck in it.

In the passage decorative portion 2590 of the right edge passage portion 2517b, the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b are recessed from the rear and front, and are not open to the peripheral side surfaces of the flange portion 2511b or the front plate 2571. In other words, the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b of the right edge passage portion 2517b do not extend to the sides of the flange portion 2511b or the front plate 2571, and are recessed only from the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a and the front plate protrusion 2594b.

The passage decorative portion 2590 of the right edge passage portion 2517b is made of a transparent material, with the flange portion 2511b, on which the rear plate protrusion 2594a and rear plate recess 2595a are provided, and the front plate 2571, on which the front plate protrusion 2594b and front plate recess 2595b are provided, reflecting and refracting light (decorative light) from the LEDs on the LED board provided on the gaming board 5. This allows the protrusions 2594, such as the rear plate protrusion 2594a and front plate protrusion 2594b, and the recesses 2595, such as the rear plate recess 2595a and front plate recess 2595b, to glow and be decorated with illumination. Therefore, by illuminating the passage decorative portion 2590 of the attacca passage portion 2517a, the player's gaze can be directed toward the right edge passage portion 2517b.

In addition, the passage decorative portion 2590 of the right edge passage portion 2517b has multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a protruding forward from the flange portion 2511b and multiple front plate protrusions 2594b protruding rearward from the front plate 2571, which are arranged in a staggered pattern (alternately) in the direction of flow of the game balls B. This causes the game balls B to flow in a serpentine pattern back and forth, thereby reducing the flow speed of the game balls B. Therefore, even if the right edge passage portion 2517b is nearly vertical, the flow speed (flow speed) of the game balls B will not be too fast, and the game balls B can flow down the downstream first nailed passage portion 2517c at an appropriate speed.

In addition, in the right edge passage portion 2517b, the multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b can slow down the falling speed of the game ball B, making it easier to see the game ball B flowing through the right edge passage portion 2517b and preventing the crank-shaped portion at the bottom end of the right edge passage portion 2517b from being damaged by the impact of the game ball B hitting it. In other words, the rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b of the right edge passage portion 2517b differ from the rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b of the attacca passage portion 2517a described above in that their purpose is to slow down the falling speed of the game ball B to prevent damage to other components and allow the player to see the game ball B.

Furthermore, the passage decorative portion 2590 may be provided, for example, in the exit passage portion 2517g of the spherical passage 2517 (sphere passage 2591). First, the portion of the exit passage portion 2517g where the passage decorative portion 2590 is provided does not have a front plate 2571 (front plate portion 2593), and only has a flange portion 2511b (rear plate portion 2592) (see Figure 118, etc.). Although not shown, the glass 120 of the door frame 3 is provided as the front plate portion 2593 in front of the passage decorative portion 2590 of the exit passage portion 2517g.

As shown enlarged in Figure 134, the passage decorative portion 2590 of the exit passage portion 2517g is located below the normal winning opening 2002, and is arranged so that a larger V-shaped rear plate protrusion 2594a surrounds the outside of a smaller V-shaped rear plate protrusion 2594a. In each rear plate protrusion 2594a, the V-shaped bent portion protrudes furthest forward, and the forward protrusion decreases toward both ends of the V. In other words, each rear plate protrusion 2594a is inclined so that its front surface protrudes more forward as it points downward. Furthermore, of the two rear plate protrusions 2594a, one large and one small, the larger protrusion protrudes further forward than the smaller rear plate protrusion 2594a.

Although not shown, a rear plate recess 2595a is also provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a in the passage decorative portion 2590 of the exit passage portion 2517g. Furthermore, in the passage decorative portion 2590 of the exit passage portion 2517g, the gaming panel 1100, which serves as the specific member 2519, abuts against the rear surface of the flange portion 2511b. The rear of the rear plate recess 2595a is covered by this gaming panel 1100, making the rear plate recess 2595a untouchable. This prevents the rear plate recess 2595a from being soiled by the worker's fingers when touching it during the manufacturing of the gaming board 5, and ensures that the decorative light is reflected and refracted in the rear plate recess 2595a. Furthermore, the provision of the specific member 2519 makes it difficult for dirt and dust to enter the rear plate recess 2595a, preventing the appearance from being marred by dirt and other contaminants.

The passage decorative portion 2590 of this exit passage portion 2517g has a flange portion 2511b on which the rear plate protrusion 2594a is provided, which is formed from a transparent material, and is therefore able to reflect and refract light (decorative light) from the LEDs on the LED board provided on the gaming board 5. This allows the protrusions 2594 such as the rear plate protrusion 2594a and the recesses 2595 such as the rear plate recess 2595a to be illuminated and decorated. Therefore, by illuminating the passage decorative portion 2590 provided near the normal winning opening 2002 in the exit passage portion 2517g, the player's gaze can be directed toward the normal winning opening 2002.

In addition, the passage decorative portion 2590 of the exit passage portion 2517g has two rear plate protrusions 2594a, one large and one small, each formed in a V shape, which looks like an arrow and draws the player's attention to the nearby normal winning port 2002, increasing the player's anticipation of winning a normal prize.

In addition, the passage decorative portion 2590 of the exit passage portion 2517g is provided with rear plate protrusions 2594a of different sizes with different protrusion amounts, so the gap between the glass 120 in front becomes smaller as you move toward the larger rear plate protrusions 2594a. This allows the game ball B to be sufficiently slowed down even if it flows down with great force, reducing the impact on the lower right rail 1004.

Furthermore, the passage decorative portion 2590 may be provided, for example, in the guide passage group 2520 on the left side of the center role-playing device 2500, although detailed illustration is omitted. First, the guide passage group 2520 is composed of a flange portion 2511b (rear plate portion 2592) and a front plate 2571 (front plate portion 2593) that is provided facing the flange portion 2511b in front of the flange portion 2511b with a gap that allows the game ball B to pass between them. The passage decorative portion 2590 then has a rear plate protrusion 2594a that protrudes forward from the flange portion 2511b, and a front plate protrusion 2594b that protrudes rearward from the front plate 2571 (front plate portion 2593).

The rear plate protrusions 2594a of the guide passage group 2520 are provided at intervals along the flow direction of the game balls B (see Figure 134). When viewed from the front, the rear plate protrusions 2594a have a rectangular shape that is longer in the flow direction, and the center of the longitudinal direction of the rectangle is formed into a triangle (triangular roof shape) that protrudes forward.

The front plate protrusions 2594b of the guide passage group 2520 are provided at intervals along the flow direction of the game balls B, alternating with the rear plate protrusions 2594a in the front-to-back direction. When viewed from the front, the front plate protrusions 2594b have a rectangular shape that is longer in the flow direction, and the center of the rectangle in the longitudinal direction is formed into a triangle (triangular roof shape) that protrudes rearward.

The passage decorative portion 2590 of the guide passage group 2520, with the flange portion 2511b on which the rear plate protrusion 2594a is provided and the front plate 2571 on which the front plate protrusion 2594b is provided, are formed from transparent materials, so that each can reflect and refract light (decorative light) from the LEDs on the LED board provided on the gaming board 5. This allows the protrusions 2594, such as the rear plate protrusion 2594a and the front plate protrusion 2594b, to glow and provide decorative illumination. Therefore, by making the passage decorative portion 2590 of the guide passage group 2520 illuminate, the player's gaze can be directed toward the guide passage group 2520.

In addition, the passage decorative portion 2590 of the guide passage group 2520 has multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a protruding forward from the flange portion 2511b and multiple front plate protrusions 2594b protruding rearward from the front plate 2571, which are arranged in a staggered pattern (alternately) in the direction of flow of the game ball B. This causes the game ball B to flow in a serpentine pattern back and forth, thereby reducing the flow speed of the game ball B. Therefore, even if the guide passage group 2520 is in a nearly vertical state, the flow speed (flow speed) of the game ball B will not be too fast, and the game ball B can flow down at an appropriate speed toward the downstream area where the entrance to the warp passage 2512, etc., is located.

In addition, similar to the above, the passage decorative portion 2590 of the guide passage group 2520 may also have a rear plate recess 2595a and a front plate recess 2595b provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a and the front plate protrusion 2594b. This allows decorative light to be reflected in the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b, further enhancing the decorative effect.

Furthermore, the passage decorative portion 2590 may be provided in the door-over passage portion 2416 above the large prize opening 2005 (large prize opening door 2413) in the attacca unit 2400, as shown in Figure 139. This attacca unit 2400 is provided on the game board 5 of the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 96, etc. First, the door-over passage portion 2416 of the attacca unit 2400 is composed of a base plate 2431 (rear plate portion 2592) and a front plate 2432 (front plate portion 2593) that is provided facing the front of the base plate 2431 with a gap that allows the game ball B to flow between them. The aisle decorative portion 2590 has a rear plate convex portion 2594a protruding forward from the base plate 2431, a rear plate concave portion 2595a provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a, a front plate convex portion 2594b protruding rearward from the front plate 2432 (front plate portion 2593), and a front plate concave portion 2595b provided on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b.

The rear plate protrusions 2594a of the door-top passage section 2416 are provided at intervals along the flow direction of the door-top passage section 2416. When viewed from the front, the rear plate protrusions 2594a are rectangular in shape, elongated in the flow direction, and are trapezoidal in plan view, with the center of the length of the rectangle protruding forward and the tip formed flat and parallel to the base plate 2431. The rear plate protrusions 2594a of the door-top passage section 2416 are provided with a height from the bottom of the passage that includes half the diameter of the game ball B (for example, 1 1/2 mm). The rear plate recesses 2595a of the door-top passage section 2416 are provided in each rear plate protrusion 2594a, and are recessed forward into a trapezoid that is roughly similar in shape to the rear plate protrusion 2594a.

The front plate protrusions 2594b of the door-top passage 2416 are provided at intervals along the flow direction of the door-top passage 2416, alternating with the rear plate protrusions 2594a in the front-to-back direction. The front plate protrusions 2594b are rectangular in shape in a front view that is long in the flow direction, and are trapezoidal in plan view, with the center of the length of the rectangle protruding rearward and the tip formed flat and parallel to the front plate 2432. The front plate protrusions 2594b of the door-top passage 2416 are provided with a height from the bottom of the passage that includes half the diameter of the game ball B (e.g., 1 1/2 mm). The front plate recesses 2595b of the door-top passage 2416 are provided on each front plate protrusion 2594b, and are recessed rearward into a trapezoid roughly similar in shape to the front plate protrusions 2594b.

As shown in Figure 139(b), the passage decorative portion 2590 of the door-top passage portion 2416 has a special member 2519, an attacca decorative board 2433, and a board cover 2434, provided at the rear of the base plate 2431, with a gap large enough to prevent fingers from entering. This special member 2519 covers the rear of the rear plate recess 2595a, making it untouchable. This prevents the rear plate recess 2595a from being soiled by a worker's fingers touching it during the manufacturing of the gaming board 5, and ensures that the decorative light is reflected and refracted in the rear plate recess 2595a. Furthermore, the special member 2519 makes it difficult for dirt and dust to enter the rear plate recess 2595a, preventing the appearance from being marred by dirt and other contaminants.

In addition, the passage decorative portion 2590 of the door-top passage portion 2416 has a decorative member 2435 made of a translucent sticker with a predetermined decoration affixed to the front surface of the front panel 2432. This decorative member 2435 covers the front of the front panel recess 2595b, making it untouchable. This prevents the front panel recess 2595b from being soiled by the fingers of an operator touching it during the manufacturing of the game board 5, and ensures that the decorative light is reflected and refracted in the front panel recess 2595b. Furthermore, the presence of the decorative member 2435 makes it difficult for dirt and dust to enter the front panel recess 2595b, preventing the appearance from being marred by dirt and other contaminants.

The passage decorative portion 2590 of the door-top passage portion 2416 is made of a transparent material, with the base plate 2431 provided with the rear plate convex portion 2594a and rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the front plate 2432 provided with the front plate convex portion 2594b and front plate concave portion 2595b. Therefore, each can reflect and refract light (decorative light) from the LEDs on the LED board provided on the game board 5. This allows the convex portions 2594, such as the rear plate convex portion 2594a and front plate convex portion 2594b, and the concave portions 2595, such as the rear plate concave portion 2595a and front plate concave portion 2595b, to be illuminated and decorated. Therefore, by illuminating the passageway decoration 2590 of the door-top passageway 2416, the player's gaze can be directed toward the door-top passageway 2416, which can heighten the player's anticipation of winning through the large prize opening 2005 provided in the door-top passageway 2416 and prevent the player's interest from declining.

In addition, the passage decorative portion 2590 of the door-top passage portion 2416 has multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a protruding forward from the base plate 2431 and multiple front plate protrusions 2594b protruding rearward from the front plate 2432, which are arranged in a staggered pattern (alternately) in the direction of flow of the game balls B. This causes the game balls B to snake back and forth as they flow, reducing the flow speed of the game balls B. This makes it possible for many game balls B to remain for a long time on the special prize opening door 2413, which forms part of the bottom surface of the door-top passage portion 2416. In other words, the rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b of the door-top passage portion 2416 are intended to slow down the rolling speed of the game balls B, thereby allowing many game balls B to remain on the special prize opening door 2413.

In the door upper passage section 2416, a rear plate convex section 2594a and a rear plate concave section 2595a are provided on the base plate 2432 serving as the rear plate section 2592. In other words, in the door upper passage section 2416, the rear plate convex section 2594a and the rear plate concave section 2595a are provided on a member (base plate 2431) different from the flange section 2511b of the center role device 2500. Also, in the door upper passage section 2416, the portion of the base plate 2431 where the large prize opening door 2413 is located is recessed further rearward than the general surface of the base plate 2431 (the front surface of the gaming panel 1100). The rear plate protrusion 2594a and front plate protrusion 2594b of this door-top passage 2416 each have a trapezoidal convex shape, and protrude significantly more than the rear plate protrusion 2594a and front plate protrusion 2594b provided in the attacca passage 2517a of the center role device 2500 described above. As a result, the passage in the door-top passage 2416 (above the large prize opening door 2413) meanders significantly back and forth.

As a result, the speed of game ball B rolling on the large prize opening door 2413 can be slowed down, making it possible to excite and thrill the player depending on whether or not the large prize opening door 2413 opens at the timing when game ball B is rolling on it, thereby increasing the player's anticipation of winning in the large prize opening 2005 and preventing a decline in interest.

In the above example, a specific component 2519 such as an attacca decorative base plate 2433 is provided behind a rear panel portion 2592 such as a base plate 2431, and a decorative component 2435 such as a decorative sticker is provided in front of a front panel portion 2593 such as a front panel 2432. However, this is not limited to this, and a configuration such as that shown in Figure 140 may also be used.

In the example shown in Figure 140, a sheet-like rear decorative part 2573 and an LED board 2519a are provided as the specific component 2519 behind the rear plate part 2592. In addition, in the example shown in Figure 140, the decorative component 2435 in front of the front plate part 2593 is a sheet-like front decorative part 2572. These front decorative part 2572 and rear decorative part 2573 are each translucent. Details of the front decorative part 2572 and rear decorative part 2573 will be described later with reference to Figure 156. The example shown in Figure 140 can also achieve the same effects as those described above.

In addition, in the above description, the convex portions 2594, such as the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the front plate convex portion 2594b, and the concave portions 2595, such as the rear plate concave portion 2595a and the front plate concave portion 2595b, are shown to have rectangular shapes in plan view, but this is not limited to this and various front shapes may also be used, such as circular, oval, rhombus, hexagonal, octagonal, diamond-shaped, etc.

When multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b are provided, they are arranged as follows to allow game ball B to flow through the passage. The distance from the tip of rear plate protrusion 2594a to the rear surface of the opposing front plate 2593, the distance from the tip of front plate protrusion 2594b to the front surface of the opposing rear plate 2592, and the distance between the closest rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b (for example, if the rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b are triangular or trapezoidal, the distance between the opposing inclined surfaces) are made larger than the diameter D of game ball B. For example, the above distances are set to 12 mm. This prevents problems that would prevent game ball B from flowing. Furthermore, the closer the distances are to the diameter D of game ball B, the greater the deceleration effect.

As described above, according to the passage decoration portion 2590 of this embodiment, decorative light can be reflected by the rear plate recess 2595a provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, which affects the circulation speed of the game ball B, in the flange portion 2511b (rear plate portion 2592) that forms the flow area of the center role device 2500, and this reflected light can illuminate and decorate the flow area (ball passage 2591) through which the game ball B flows. Therefore, even though the flange portion 2511b of the center role device 2500 does not have the ostentatious decorations found in conventional pachinko machines, the flange portion 2511b illuminates and decorates, making it possible for players to recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional pachinko machines, and it is possible to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, because a rear plate recess 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, when viewed from the front, a complex shape is seen due to the shape of the rear plate protrusion 2594a and the shape of the rear plate recess 2595a, compared to when only a protrusion is provided, and this shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

In addition, because a rear plate convex portion 2594a is provided in the flow-down area (ball passage 2591) where game ball B flows down, the rear plate convex portion 2594a can slow down the flow-down speed of game ball B in this flow-down area, making the movement of game ball B easier to see. In this case, a rear plate concave portion 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a, and the rear plate concave portion 2595a is designed to reflect decorative light and provide luminous decoration, so the luminous decoration can make game ball B appear as a silhouette as it flows down the flow-down area, making the movement of game ball B easier to see. As a result, players can enjoy the movement of game ball B as it flows down the flow-down area, and a decline in interest in the game can be prevented.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the front plate 2571 of the decorative body 2570, which is provided opposite the flange portion 2511b that forms the flow area (ball passage 2591) of the center role device 2500, can reflect decorative light by the front plate recess 2595b provided on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b that affects the circulation speed of the game ball B, and this reflected light can illuminate and decorate the flow area through which the game ball B flows. Therefore, even though the front plate 2571 of the center role device 2500 does not have an ostentatious decorative body like conventional pachinko machines, the front plate 2571 is illuminated and decorated, making it possible for players to recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional pachinko machines, and it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing and capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, because a front panel recess 2595b is provided on the back side of the front panel protrusion 2594b, when viewed from the front, a complex shape is seen due to the shape of the front panel protrusion 2594b and the shape of the front panel recess 2595b, compared to when only a protrusion is provided, and this shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

Furthermore, because the front plate convex portion 2594b is provided in the flow-down area where the game ball B flows down, the front plate convex portion 2594b can slow down the flow-down speed of the game ball B in this flow-down area, making the movement of the game ball B easier to see. In this case, the front plate concave portion 2595b is provided on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b, and the front plate concave portion 2595b reflects decorative light to provide luminous decoration, and because the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b are provided on the front plate 2571 in front of the flow-down area (ball passage 2591), the front of the game ball B flowing down the flow-down area is luminous and decorated, making the game ball B appear to be sparkling.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the center role-playing device 2500 has a rear plate convex portion 2594a on the flange portion 2511b and a rear plate concave portion 2595a on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a, and also has a front plate convex portion 2594b on the front plate 2571 in front of the flange portion 2511b and a front plate concave portion 2595b on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b. As a result, the back and front of the flow-down area (ball passage 2591) through which the game ball B flows can be illuminated and decorated by the light reflected by the rear plate concave portion 2595a on the flange portion 2511b and the light reflected by the front plate concave portion 2595b on the front plate 2571. Therefore, because the flange portion 2511b and front panel 2571 of the center role device 2500 are illuminated, it is possible for players to recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of previous pachinko machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is able to strongly attract the player's attention.

In addition, as described above, the flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 of the center role piece 2500 are provided with the rear plate convex portion 2594a and rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the front plate convex portion 2594b and front plate concave portion 2595b. Therefore, when viewed from the front, the shape of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the shape of the rear plate concave portion 2595a on the flange portion 2511b, as well as the shape of the front plate convex portion 2594b and the shape of the front plate concave portion 2595b on the front plate 2571, can be seen, and these shapes act as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

In addition, as described above, the rear plate convex portions 2594a and front plate convex portions 2594b are arranged alternately (staggered) in the flow direction of the game ball B on the flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 of the center device 2500, so that the front plate convex portion 2594b on the front side and the rear plate convex portion 2594a on the rear side make it possible to swing the game ball B back and forth, and the flow speed of the game ball B can be further slowed down compared to when a convex portion is provided on only one side, making it easier to see the movement of the game ball B. In this case, a rear plate recess 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and a front plate recess 2595b is provided on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b. The rear plate recess 2595a and front plate recess 2595b reflect decorative light to create an illuminating decoration. The illuminating decoration of the rear plate recess 2595a makes the game ball B appear as a silhouette, while the illuminating decoration of the front plate recess 2595b makes it appear to sparkle. This allows the illuminating decoration to be enjoyed along with the movement of the game ball B, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, in the center role device 2500, the flange portion 2511b has a rear plate recess 2595a on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and the front plate 2571 has a front plate recess 2595b on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b. This reduces the weight of the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b compared to when the recesses are not provided, thereby reducing the weight of the center role device 2500 and reducing the cost of the center role device 2500. Furthermore, since the center role device 2500 can be made lighter, reinforcement, which was required in conventional pachinko machines, becomes unnecessary, thereby suppressing the increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, because the rear plate recess 2595a is covered by the specific member 2519 so that it cannot be touched by the fingers of the worker during manufacturing, there is no need to work carefully to avoid contaminating the rear plate recess 2595a. This simplifies the work and suppresses the increase in costs.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the attacca unit 2400, which is different from the center role device 2500, the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 that form the flow area (door-over passage section 2416) can reflect decorative light by the recessed section 2595 provided on the back side of the protrusion 2594 that affects the circulation speed of the game ball B, and this reflected light can illuminate and decorate the flow area through which the game ball B flows. Therefore, even though the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400 do not have ostentatious decorations like those of conventional pachinko machines, the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 are illuminated and decorated, making it possible for players to recognize that this is a pachinko machine 1 that is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional pachinko machines, and it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing and capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400 have recesses 2595 on the back side of the protrusions 2594. When viewed from the front, the shapes of the protrusions 2594 and recesses 2595 create a complex shape, compared to when only protrusions are provided. This shape acts as a decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

In addition, a convex portion 2594 is provided in the door upper passage portion 2416 above the large prize opening door 2413 in the attacca unit 2400, so that the flow speed of the game ball B can be slowed down at the large prize opening door 2413 by the convex portion 2594.By slowing the flow speed of the game ball B, the movement of the game ball B can be made easier to see, and when the large prize opening door 2413 opens at that timing, it becomes easier to win the large prize opening 2005. In this case, a recess 2595 is provided on the back side of the protrusion 2594, and the decorative light is reflected in the recess 2595 to create an illuminated decoration, so that the game ball B flowing (rolling) down the large prize opening door 2413 appears as a silhouette and sparkling, increasing the sense of anticipation for the game ball B's movement to win the large prize opening 2005 and allowing the player to enjoy the illuminated decoration, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, in the attacca unit 2400, the base plate 2431 has a rear plate recess 2595a on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and the front plate 2432 has a front plate recess 2595b on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b. This allows for a weight reduction by the amount of the rear plate recess 2595a and front plate recess 2595b compared to when no recesses are provided, thereby reducing the weight of the attacca unit 2400 and reducing the costs associated with the attacca unit 2400. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the attacca unit 2400, it is possible to eliminate the reinforcement required in conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, because the attacca decorative base plate 2433 and decorative member 2435 cover the rear panel recess 2595a and front panel recess 2595b so that they cannot be touched by fingers, workers' fingers will not come into contact with the rear panel recess 2595a or front panel recess 2595b during manufacturing, so there is no need to work carefully to avoid soiling the rear panel recess 2595a, making the work easier and reducing costs.

In addition, a gap is provided between the base plate 2431 of the attacca unit 2400 and the attacca decorative board 2433. This allows the attacca decorative board 2433 to move rearward away from the base plate 2431, making it difficult to see the electronic components mounted on the attacca decorative board 2433, such as LEDs and resistors. This makes it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the convex portions 2594 and concave portions 2595, and the gap between the base plate 2431 and the attacca decorative board 2433 also makes it easier to dissipate heat from the multiple LEDs.

Furthermore, because recesses 2595 are provided on the backside of the convex portions 2594 in the flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 of the center role device 2500, and the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400, the weight of the center role device 2500 and the attacca unit 2400 can be reduced compared to when recesses 2595 are not provided, resulting in a reduction in weight and a reduction in the costs associated with the center role device 2500 and the attacca unit 2400. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the center role device 2500 and the attacca unit 2400, it is possible to eliminate the need for reinforcement that was required in conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

In the above embodiment, the center role device 2500 and the attacca unit 2400 are shown to be provided with a passageway decoration 2590 consisting of a convex portion 2594 that affects the flow of game ball B and a concave portion 2595 provided on the back side of the convex portion 2594. However, this is not limited to this, and the passageway decoration 2590 may also be provided in the starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, upper left side unit 2300, normal winning port unit 2600, etc.

In addition, while the multiple protrusions 2594 (rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b) are all shown to have recesses 2595 (rear plate recesses 2595a and front plate recesses 2595b), this is not limited to this configuration. The multiple protrusions 2594 may also include specific protrusions 2596 that do not have recesses 2595 on their backsides. This prevents the backside of the specific protrusions 2596 from reflecting decorative light like the recesses 2595 do, allowing the convex portions 2594 and the specific protrusions 2596 to have different illuminated decorations. In this case, the shapes seen from the front differ between the protrusions 2594 with recesses 2595 on their backsides and the specific protrusions 2596 without recesses 2595 on their backsides. This allows for more variation in the decoration seen from the front compared to when multiple protrusions 2594 only have recesses 2595 on their backsides.

[11-8e-1. Modified examples of recesses]
Next, modified examples of the recess 2595 in the passage decorative portion 2590 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to FIG. 141 . FIG. 141 illustrates the relationship between the shape of the protrusion 2594 and the shape of the recess 2595, with the shape of the protrusion 2594 being triangular. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 141( a), for example, the shape of the recess 2595 on the back side of the triangular protrusion 2594 is a triangle similar to the shape of the protrusion 2594. In this example, as in the above example, decorative light can be reflected and refracted by the recess 2595 and the protrusion 2594. Furthermore, when the shape of the recess 2595 is similar to the shape of the protrusion 2594, the plate thickness of the member in which the protrusion 2594 and the recess 2595 are provided becomes approximately constant, thereby reducing partial sink marks and distortion during molding.

As shown in FIG. 141(b), the convex portion 2594 has a triangular shape, while the concave portion 2595 on the back side thereof has a rectangular shape that differs from the shape of the convex portion 2594. Note that the concave portion 2595 only needs to have a rectangular cross section, so the shape of the concave portion 2595 in a front view may be rectangular, circular, oval, etc. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the concave portion 2595 only needs to be different from the cross-sectional shape of the convex portion 2594, so the shape of the concave portion 2595 in a front view may be similar to or different from the shape of the convex portion 2594 in a front view. In this example, because the shapes of the convex portion 2594 and the concave portion 2595 are different, the direction in which the decorative light is reflected differs from each other. This allows the convex portion 2594 and the concave portion 2595 to reflect decorative light in various directions, resulting in a more sparkling luminous decoration. Furthermore, in this example, the distance from the surface of the convex portion 2594 to the surface of the concave portion 2595 varies depending on the location, making it possible to refract the decorative light in various directions, creating a decorative effect similar to that of a prism.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 141(c), the convex portion 2594 has a triangular shape, while the concave portion 2595 on the back side thereof has a semicircular shape that differs from the shape of the convex portion 2594. Note that the concave portion 2595 only needs to have a rectangular cross section, and the shape of the concave portion 2595 in a front view may be circular, oval, rectangular, etc. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the concave portion 2595 only needs to be different from the cross-sectional shape of the convex portion 2594, and the shape of the concave portion 2595 in a front view may be similar to or different from the shape of the convex portion 2594 in a front view. In this example, because the shapes of the convex portion 2594 and the concave portion 2595 are different, the direction in which the decorative light is reflected differs from each other. This allows the convex portion 2594 and the concave portion 2595 to reflect decorative light in various directions, resulting in a more sparkling luminous decoration. Furthermore, in this example, the distance from the surface of the convex portion 2594 to the surface of the concave portion 2595 varies depending on the location, making it possible to refract the decorative light in various directions, creating a decorative effect similar to that of a prism.

Note that while Figure 141 shows the convex portion 2594 with a triangular shape, this is not limited to this and the shape may be a polygon such as a square, pentagon, or hexagon, a diamond, a semicircle, a star, or any other irregular shape.

[11-8e-2. Modified examples of convex portions]
Next, modified examples of the convex portion 2594 in the passage decorative portion 2590 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to FIG. 142. For example, as shown in FIG. 142(a), the shape of the convex portion 2594 may be a trapezoid with a flattened triangle near the apex. In this example, the shape of the concave portion 2595 on the back side of the convex portion 2594 is a triangle that is approximately similar to the shape of the convex portion 2594. In this example, as with the above, decorative light can be reflected or refracted by the concave portion 2595 and the convex portion 2594.

Also, as shown in Figure 142 (b), the shape of the convex portion 2594 may be semicircular. In this example, the shape of the concave portion 2595 on the back side of the convex portion 2594 is semicircular and roughly similar to the shape of the convex portion 2594, and the corners of the base end portion of the concave portion 2595 are rounded to form an arc shape.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 142(c), the shape of the convex portion 2594 may be a quadrangle with an arc-shaped base end that is rounded. In this example, the shape of the concave portion 2595 on the back side of the convex portion 2594 is an elongated quadrangle that is roughly similar to the shape of the convex portion 2594. In addition, the back side of the convex portion 2594 has an outer concave portion 2595c that is recessed in an arc shape all the way to the flat portion at the tip of the convex portion 2594, imitating the arc-shaped portion of the convex portion 2594, and a seat-like flat portion 2595d that is parallel to the tip of the convex portion 2594 is provided between the outer concave portion 2595c and the concave portion 2595. The concave portion 2595 is recessed from the flat portion 2595d. In this example, as with the above, decorative light can be reflected or refracted by the concave portion 2595 and the convex portion 2594.

In addition, the outer recess 2595c can also reflect and refract decorative light, allowing it to be used in conjunction with the recess 2595 and protrusion 2594 to create a more dazzling illuminated decoration. Furthermore, since it has flat portion 2595d, light from an LED or the like can be incident through flat portion 2595d and guided to protrusion 2594, causing the tip of protrusion 2594 to emit light. Flat portion 2595d can also be used as the abutment for an ejector pin used when removing from the mold during molding, which prevents pin marks from remaining in conspicuous areas on the general surface of the product and improves the appearance. Furthermore, it is possible to use recess 2595 as a screw hole and flat portion 2595d as the screw seat, eliminating the need for a separate screw hole for installation.

In the example shown in FIG. 142, the shape of the convex portion 2594 when viewed from the front and the shape of the concave portion 2595 when viewed from the front may be similar or different.

[11-8e-3. Modified examples of aisle decorative parts]
Next, while the above-described passageway decoration 2590 has been shown to have multiple convex portions 2594 (concave portions 2595) of similar shapes, this is not limited thereto. As shown in FIG. 143 , a single passageway decoration 2590 may have convex portions 2594 (concave portions 2595) of different shapes. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 143( a), multiple triangular convex portions 2594 may be arranged in a mixture of those with concave portions 2595 on the back side and specific convex portions 2596 without concave portions 2595. This passageway decoration 2590 can also achieve the same effects as described above. In addition, the lighting conditions, such as reflection and refraction, of decorative light differ between the convex portions 2594 with concave portions 2595 on the back side and the convex portions 2594 (specific convex portions 2596) without concave portions 2595, thereby adding variation to the luminous decoration of the passageway decoration 2590.

Also, as shown in Figure 143 (b), triangular convex portions 2594 and semicircular convex portions 2594 may be mixed. Here, a concave portion 2595 similar in shape to the convex portion 2594 is provided on the back side of each convex portion 2594. This passageway decoration portion 2590 can achieve the same effect as described above. In addition, because the shapes of each convex portion 2594 (concave portion 2595) are different, the differences in their shapes can add variety to the decoration of the passageway decoration portion 2590 even when it is not illuminated with decorative light, thereby further enhancing the decorative effect. Furthermore, the differences in the shapes of the convex portions 2594 (concave portions 2595) affect the lighting conditions, such as reflection and refraction, of the decorative light, and therefore can add variety to the illuminated decoration of the passageway decoration portion 2590. Furthermore, because the shapes of the convex portions 2594 are different, the degree to which the game ball B decelerates varies depending on the convex portion 2594, which makes it possible to impart variations in speed to the flow of the game ball B, allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B even more.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 143(c), different shapes of convex portions 2594 (concave portions 2595) may be used, with convex portions 2594 of different protrusion amounts (sizes) mixed together. Here, each convex portion 2594 is triangular, and the concave portions 2595 on the back side of each convex portion 2594 are concave portions 2595 similar in shape to the respective convex portions 2594. This passageway decoration 2590 can also achieve the same effects as described above. In addition, because the sizes of each convex portion 2594 (concave portions 2595) are different, the differences in their sizes can add variety to the decoration of the passageway decoration 2590 even when not illuminated with decorative light, thereby further enhancing the decorative effect. Furthermore, the differences in the sizes of the convex portions 2594 (concave portions 2595) affect the lighting conditions, such as reflection and refraction, of the decorative light, thereby adding variety to the illuminated decoration of the passageway decoration 2590. Furthermore, because the convex portions 2594 vary in size, the degree to which the game ball B decelerates varies depending on the convex portion 2594, which makes it possible to impart variations in speed to the flow of the game ball B, allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B even more.

Note that Figure 143 shows a mixture of convex portions 2594 (concave portions 2595) with different shapes (forms) in cross section, but this is not limited to this, and convex portions 2594 (concave portions 2595) with different shapes in plan view may also be mixed.

[11-8e-4. Another embodiment of the passage decorative portion]
Next, a passageway decorative element 2590A of a different embodiment from the above will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 144 to 146. Figure 144(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passageway decorative element in which a second protrusion of the same shape is provided on a first protrusion, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passageway decorative element in which a second protrusion of a different amount of protrusion is provided on a first protrusion, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passageway decorative element in which a second protrusion of a different shape is provided on a first protrusion, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passageway decorative element in which a second protrusion is also provided on the inclined surface of the first protrusion. Figure 145(a1) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passageway decorative element in which a second protrusion of the same shape is provided on a first protrusion, (a2) is an explanatory diagram showing (a1) from the front, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a passageway decorative element in which a recess of a different shape is provided on (a2) from the front. Figure 146(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passage decorative part that is fitted into the opening of a game panel, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a passage decorative part that is different in form from (a).

The passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (a) has a first convex portion 2594c that protrudes forward within a predetermined range from the rear plate portion 2592 that contacts the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, such as the base plate 2431 of the attacca unit 2400 or the flange portion 2511b of the center role device 2500, multiple second convex portions 2594d that protrude forward from the first convex portion 2594c, a first recess 2595e that is provided on the back side of the first convex portion 2594c and is recessed toward the front, and a second recess 2595f that is provided on the back side of the second convex portion 2594d and is recessed toward the front.

The first convex portion 2594c has a flat front surface. This first convex portion 2594c also includes a sloping portion at the boundary with the rear plate portion 2592. The second convex portion 2594d has a semicircular cross section and extends in a direction intersecting the flow direction of the game ball B (plane of the paper). The first recess 2595e is recessed in a shape similar to the shape of the first convex portion 2594c. The second recess 2595f is recessed in a shape similar to the shape of the second convex portion 2594d.

The first convex portion 2594c may be decorated with fine irregularities such as embossing. When embossing is provided on the first convex portion 2594c, etc., it is possible to hide wiring, components, etc. behind the first convex portion 2594c by using the embossing. Furthermore, at least one second convex portion 2594d may be a specific convex portion 2596 that does not have a second recess 2595f on the back side (see Figure 144 (b)). Furthermore, the glass 120 of the door frame 3 is provided in front of the rear plate portion 2592 with a gap that allows the game ball B to pass through, but the front plate portion 2593 may also be provided with a gap.

The passageway decoration 2590A shown in FIG. 144(a) has a first recess 2595e and a second recess 2595f provided on the backside of the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, which allows the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f to reflect and refract light (decorative light) from the LEDs on the LED board provided on the gaming board 5. As a result, the passageway decoration 2590A is illuminated and decorated by the reflection of the decorative light by the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d and the reflection of the decorative light by the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f, which draws the player's gaze toward the passageway decoration 2590A and allows the player to enjoy the movement of the gaming ball B circulating through the passageway decoration 2590A.

Furthermore, with the passageway decorative portion 2590A shown in FIG. 144(a), the presence of the first convex portion 2594c narrows the gap in the front-to-rear direction between the first convex portion 2594c and the forward component (e.g., the glass 120, the front panel portion 2593, etc.), thereby slowing down the circulation speed of the game ball B that enters the passageway decorative portion 2590A. Furthermore, because the first convex portion 2594c is provided with multiple second convex portions 2594d, these second convex portions 2594d can further slow down the circulation speed of the game ball B. Therefore, because the circulation speed of the game ball B is slowed in the passageway decorative portion 2590A, the game ball B can be made easier to see, allowing players to enjoy the movement of the game ball B and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (a), only the glass 120 is provided in front of the rear panel portion 2592, and therefore by combining the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, the game ball B is decelerated between the glass 120 and the first convex portion 2594c or the second convex portion 2594d. At this time, the game ball B hits the glass 120 relatively hard, making a loud impact sound, which can attract the player's attention.

The passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (b) has a first convex portion 2594c that protrudes forward within a predetermined range from the rear plate portion 2592 that contacts the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, such as the base plate 2431 of the attacca unit 2400 or the flange portion 2511b of the center gimmick 2500, multiple second convex portions 2594d that protrude forward from the first convex portion 2594c, first recesses 2595e that are provided on the back side of the first convex portion 2594c and are recessed toward the front, and second recesses 2595f that are provided on the back side of some of the second convex portions 2594d and are recessed toward the front.

The first convex portion 2594c of the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144(b) has a flat front surface. This first convex portion 2594c also includes a sloping portion at the boundary with the rear plate portion 2592. The second convex portion 2594d has a semicircular cross section and extends in a direction intersecting the flow direction of the game ball B. As shown in Figure 144(b), some of the second convex portions 2594d have different amounts of forward protrusion, and second convex portions 2594d with smaller amounts of protrusion are designated as specific convex portions 2596 that do not have a second recess 2595f on their back side. The first recess 2595e is recessed in a shape similar to the shape of the first convex portion 2594c. Furthermore, the second recess 2595f is provided on the back side of the second convex portion 2594d with a larger amount of forward protrusion.

In addition, in the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (b), game balls B can pass in front of multiple second protrusions 2594d. Therefore, game balls B can pass in front of second protrusions 2594d that protrude more. In addition, the first protrusions 2594c may be decorated with fine irregularities such as embossing. If the first protrusions 2594c, etc. are embossed, the embossing can be used to hide wiring, components, etc. behind. Furthermore, all second protrusions 2594d may be designated as specific protrusions 2596 that do not have second recesses 2595f on the back side. Furthermore, the glass 120 of the door frame 3 is provided in front of the rear panel 2592 at a distance that allows game balls B to pass through, but the front panel 2593 may also be provided with a second recess 2595f.

The passageway decoration 2590A shown in FIG. 144(b) has first recesses 2595e and second recesses 2595f provided on the back side of the first convex portions 2594c and on the back side of some of the second convex portions 2594d, allowing the first recesses 2595e and second recesses 2595f to reflect and refract light (decorative light) from the LEDs on the LED board provided on the gaming board 5. This allows the passageway decoration 2590A to be illuminated and decorated by the reflection of decorative light by the first convex portions 2594c and second convex portions 2594d and the reflection of decorative light by the first recesses 2595e and second recesses 2595f, thereby drawing the player's gaze to the passageway decoration 2590A and allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the gaming balls B circulating through the passageway decoration 2590A.

Furthermore, with the passageway decorative portion 2590A shown in FIG. 144(b), the presence of the first convex portion 2594c narrows the gap in the front-to-rear direction between the first convex portion 2594c and the forward component (e.g., the glass 120, the front panel portion 2593, etc.), thereby slowing down the circulation speed of the game ball B that enters the passageway decorative portion 2590A. Furthermore, because the first convex portion 2594c is provided with multiple second convex portions 2594d, these second convex portions 2594d can further slow down the circulation speed of the game ball B. Therefore, because the circulation speed of the game ball B is slowed in the passageway decorative portion 2590A, the game ball B can be made easier to see, allowing players to enjoy the movement of the game ball B and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (b), only the glass 120 is provided in front of the rear plate portion 2592, and therefore by combining the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, the game ball B is decelerated between the glass 120 and the first convex portion 2594c or the second convex portion 2594d. At this time, the game ball B hits the glass 120 relatively hard, making a loud impact sound that can attract the player's attention.

The passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (c) has a first convex portion 2594c that protrudes forward within a predetermined range from the rear plate portion 2592 that contacts the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, such as the base plate 2431 of the attacca unit 2400 or the flange portion 2511b of the center role device 2500, multiple second convex portions 2594d that protrude forward from the first convex portion 2594c, a first recess 2595e that is provided on the back side of the first convex portion 2594c and is recessed toward the front, and second recesses 2595f that are provided on the back side of at least some of the second convex portions 2594d and are recessed toward the front.

The first convex portion 2594c of the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (c) has a flat front surface. This first convex portion 2594c also includes a sloping portion at the boundary with the rear plate portion 2592. The second convex portions 2594d are a mixture of those with semicircular cross sections extending in a direction intersecting the flow direction of game balls B, and those that protrude forward. The long forward-protruding second convex portion 2594d protrudes forward to a length that prevents game balls B from flowing in front of it, but is short in the direction intersecting the flow direction of game balls B (left-right direction), allowing game balls B to flow on both the left and right outer sides. The first recess 2595e is recessed in a shape similar to the shape of the first convex portion 2594c. The second recess 2595f is recessed in a shape similar to the shape of the second convex portion 2594d.

The first convex portion 2594c may be decorated with fine irregularities such as embossing. When embossing is provided on the first convex portion 2594c, etc., it is possible to hide wiring, components, etc. behind the first convex portion 2594c. Furthermore, at least one second convex portion 2594d may be a specific convex portion 2596 that does not have a second recess 2595f on the back side. Furthermore, the glass 120 of the door frame 3 is provided in front of the rear plate portion 2592 with a gap that allows the game ball B to pass through, but the front plate portion 2593 may also be provided with a gap.

The passageway decoration 2590A shown in FIG. 144(c) has a first recess 2595e and a second recess 2595f provided on the backside of the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, which allows the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f to reflect and refract light (decorative light) from the LEDs on the LED board provided on the gaming board 5. As a result, the passageway decoration 2590A is illuminated and decorated by the reflection of the decorative light by the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d and the reflection of the decorative light by the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f, which draws the player's gaze toward the passageway decoration 2590A and allows the player to enjoy the movement of the gaming ball B circulating through the passageway decoration 2590A.

Furthermore, with the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in FIG. 144(c), the presence of the first convex portion 2594c narrows the front-to-rear gap between the first convex portion 2594c and the forward component (e.g., the glass 120, the front panel portion 2593, etc.), thereby slowing down the flow speed of the game ball B entering the passage decorative portion 2590A. Furthermore, because the first convex portion 2594c is provided with multiple second convex portions 2594d, these second convex portions 2594d can further slow down the flow speed of the game ball B. In this case, because the second convex portions 2594d, which are short in the left-right direction but protrude far forward, are mixed in, the second convex portions 2594d can change the flow direction of the game ball B left-to-right, thereby imparting complex movement to the game ball B. Therefore, the circulation speed of game ball B is slowed in the passage decorative portion 2590A, making game ball B easier to see, and game ball B also moves in a complex left-right direction, making the movement of game ball B more entertaining.

Furthermore, according to the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (c), only the glass 120 is provided in front of the rear panel portion 2592, and therefore by combining the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, the game ball B is decelerated between the glass 120 and the first convex portion 2594c or the second convex portion 2594d. At this time, the game ball B hits the glass 120 relatively hard, making a loud impact sound that can attract the player's attention.

The passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (d) has a rear plate convex portion 2594a protruding forward from a rear plate portion 2592 that is in contact with the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, such as the base plate 2431 of the attacca unit 2400 or the flange portion 2511b of the center gimmick 2500, a rear plate concave portion 2595a that is provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and is concave toward the front, a first convex portion 2594c that protrudes forward within a predetermined range on the rear plate portion 2592, a plurality of second convex portions 2594d that protrude forward from the first convex portion 2594c, a first concave portion 2595e that is provided on the back side of the first convex portion 2594c and is concave toward the front, and a second concave portion 2595f that is provided on the back side of the second convex portion 2594d and is concave toward the front. The rear plate protrusion 2594a has a semicircular cross section and extends in a direction intersecting the flow direction of the game ball B.

The first convex portion 2594c has a flat front surface. This first convex portion 2594c also includes an inclined portion at the boundary with the rear plate portion 2592. The second convex portion 2594d has a semicircular cross section and extends in a direction intersecting the flow direction of the game ball B. As shown in FIG. 144 (d), a portion of the second convex portion 2594d is arranged so as to overlap the rear plate portion 2592 and the first convex portion 2594c. This second convex portion 2594d arranged so as to overlap the rear plate portion 2592 is formed short in the direction intersecting the flow direction of the game ball B (left-right direction), making it possible to change the flow direction of the game ball B that comes into contact with it left-right. The first recess 2595e is recessed in a shape similar to the shape of the first convex portion 2594c.

The first convex portion 2594c may be decorated with fine irregularities such as embossing. When embossing is provided on the first convex portion 2594c, etc., the embossing can hide wiring, components, etc. behind. At least one of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the second convex portion 2594d may be a specific convex portion 2596 that does not have a rear plate recess 2595a or a second recess 2595f. Furthermore, the glass 120 of the door frame 3 is provided in front of the rear plate 2592 with a gap that allows the game ball B to pass through, but the front plate 2593 may also be provided with a gap.

According to the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (d), a rear plate recess 2595a, a first recess 2595e and a second recess 2595f are provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a, the first recess 2594c and the second recess 2594d, so that the rear plate recess 2595a, the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f can reflect or refract light (decorative light) from the LEDs of the LED board provided on the game board 5. As a result, the passage decoration portion 2590A is illuminated and decorated by the reflection of decorative light by the rear plate convex portion 2594a, first convex portion 2594c, and second convex portion 2594d, and the reflection of decorative light by the rear plate concave portion 2595a, first concave portion 2595e, and second concave portion 2595f, thereby drawing the player's gaze to the passage decoration portion 2590A and allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B circulating through the passage decoration portion 2590A.

Furthermore, with the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in FIG. 144(d), the presence of the first convex portion 2594c narrows the front-to-rear gap between the first convex portion 2594c and the forward component (e.g., the glass 120, the front panel portion 2593, etc.), thereby slowing down the flow speed of the game ball B entering the passage decorative portion 2590A. Furthermore, because the first convex portion 2594c is provided with multiple second convex portions 2594d, these second convex portions 2594d can further slow down the flow speed of the game ball B. In this case, when the game ball B comes into contact with the second convex portion 2594d that is provided so as to hang over the rear panel portion 2592, the second convex portion 2594d is formed to be short in the left-right direction, so that the flow direction of the game ball B can be changed left-to-right, imparting complex movements to the game ball B. Therefore, the circulation speed of game ball B is slowed in the passage decorative portion 2590A, making game ball B easier to see, and game ball B also moves in a complex left-right direction, making the movement of game ball B more entertaining.

Furthermore, according to the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 144 (d), only the glass 120 is provided in front of the rear plate portion 2592, and therefore by combining the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, the game ball B is decelerated between the glass 120 and the first convex portion 2594c or the second convex portion 2594d. At this time, the game ball B hits the glass 120 relatively hard, making a loud impact sound that can attract the player's attention.

Note that while Figures 144(a) to (d) show the rear plate protrusion 2594a and second protrusion 2594d protruding in a semicircular shape, this is not limited to this, and the rear plate protrusion 2594a and second protrusion 2594d may of course be triangular or trapezoidal.

Next, the aisle decorative portion 2590A shown in Figures 145 (a1) and (a2) has a first convex portion 2594c that protrudes forward within a predetermined range from the rear plate portion 2592 that contacts the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, such as the base plate 2431 of the attacca unit 2400 or the flange portion 2511b of the center gimmick 2500; multiple second convex portions 2594d that protrude forward from the first convex portion 2594c; a first recess 2595e that is provided on the back side of the first convex portion 2594c and recessed toward the front; and a second recess 2595f that is provided on the back side of the second convex portion 2594d and recessed toward the front. The front surface of the first convex portion 2594c is flat. This first convex portion 2594c also includes a sloped portion at the boundary with the rear plate portion 2592. The second convex portion 2594d has a semicircular cross section and extends in a direction intersecting the flow direction of the game ball B (plane of the paper).

As shown in Figure 145 (a2), the first recess 2595e of this passage decorative portion 2590A is recessed in the shape of a downward arrow when viewed from the front.

The first convex portion 2594c may be decorated with fine irregularities such as embossing. When embossing is provided on the first convex portion 2594c, etc., it is possible to hide wiring, components, etc. behind the first convex portion 2594c. Furthermore, at least one second convex portion 2594d may be a specific convex portion 2596 that does not have a second recess 2595f on the back side. Furthermore, the glass 120 of the door frame 3 is provided in front of the rear plate portion 2592 with a gap that allows the game ball B to pass through, but the front plate portion 2593 may also be provided with a gap.

According to the passageway decorative portion 2590A shown in Figures 145 (a1) and (a2), a first recess 2595e and a second recess 2595f are provided on the back side of the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, and the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f can reflect and refract light (decorative light) from the LEDs on the LED board provided on the gaming board 5. As a result, the passageway decorative portion 2590A is illuminated and decorated by the reflection of the decorative light by the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d and the reflection of the decorative light by the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f. At this time, because the first recess 2595e is recessed in the shape of an arrow, the arrow illuminates and strongly draws the player's attention to the passage decoration 2590A, making the player think that something good is about to happen, increasing their anticipation for the game, and allowing them to enjoy the movement of the game ball B circulating through the passage decoration 2590A.

Furthermore, according to the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figures 145 (a1) and (a2), the presence of the first convex portion 2594c narrows the gap in the front-to-rear direction between the first convex portion 2594c and the forward component (e.g., the glass 120, the front panel portion 2593, etc.), thereby slowing down the circulation speed of the game ball B that enters the passage decorative portion 2590A. Furthermore, because the first convex portion 2594c is provided with multiple second convex portions 2594d, these second convex portions 2594d can further slow down the circulation speed of the game ball B. Therefore, because the circulation speed of the game ball B is slowed in the passage decorative portion 2590A, the game ball B can be made easier to see, allowing players to enjoy the movement of the game ball B and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figures 145 (a1) and (a2), only the glass 120 is provided in front of the rear plate portion 2592, and therefore by combining the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, the game ball B is decelerated between the glass 120 and the first convex portion 2594c or the second convex portion 2594d. At this time, the game ball B hits the glass 120 relatively hard, making a loud impact sound that can attract the player's attention.

In the above, the first recess 2595e is shown as being concave in the shape of an arrow, but this is not limited to this and the first recess 2595e may be concave in various shapes. For example, as shown in Figure 145 (b), the shape of the first recess 2595e when viewed from the front may be star-shaped. This makes it possible to enhance the decorative effect of the passage decorative portion 2590A.

This first recess 2595e may be formed by a single recess, or by multiple recesses. Furthermore, in addition to the arrow and star shapes described above, the shape of the first recess 2595e when viewed from the front may also be a heart shape, a geometric pattern, a letter shape consisting of a predetermined logo, a character shape imitating a predetermined character, a picture shape imitating a predetermined design, etc. To highlight these shapes (first recess 2595e), light may be incident from the edge surface of the rear plate 2592, and the rear plate 2592 may be used as a light guide plate. In this case, these shapes may be formed by a textured finish. In this case, the incident light will exit the textured portion, making the shape appear to glow. Furthermore, when a textured finish is provided, it is possible to hide wiring, components, etc. behind the textured finish.

In addition, in the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 145, the second convex portion 2594d is semicircular in shape, which means there are no (or few) corners, making it easier to see the shape of the first concave portion 2595e from the front. Of course, the second convex portion 2594d may also be triangular or trapezoidal.

Next, the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 146 (a) has a rear plate portion 2592 inserted into the opening 1112 provided in the gaming panel 1100, multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a protruding forward from the rear plate portion 2592, rear plate recesses 2595a provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusions 2594a, and an LED board 2519a as a specific member 2519 that covers the rear of the rear plate recesses 2595a and makes the rear plate recesses 2595a untouchable by fingers. Here, some of the rear plate protrusions 2594a are designated as specific protrusions 2596 that do not have rear plate recesses 2595a provided on the back side.

The rear panel 2592 may be decorated with fine irregularities such as embossing. When embossing is applied to the rear panel 2592, etc., it is possible to hide wiring, components, etc. behind the embossing. Furthermore, all rear panel protrusions 2594a may be designated as specific protrusions 2596 that do not have rear panel recesses 2595a on the back side. Furthermore, the glass 120 of the door frame 3 is provided in front of the rear panel 2592 with a gap that allows game balls B to pass through, but this may also be provided on the front panel 2593.

In addition, a gap is provided between the rear plate portion 2592 and the LED board 2519a, but as shown in FIG. 146(a), because the rear plate portion 2592 and the LED board 2519a are inserted into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100, the outer periphery of the gap between the rear plate portion 2592 and the LED board 2519a is surrounded by the inner periphery of the opening 1112. Therefore, even if the gap between the rear plate portion 2592 and the LED board 2519a is large enough to fit a finger, because the outer periphery of the gap is surrounded, it is not possible to insert a finger between the rear plate portion 2592 and the LED board 2519a from the outside, and the rear plate recess 2595a of the rear plate portion 2592 is untouchable by fingers.

The passageway decorative portion 2590A shown in FIG. 146(a) has a rear plate recess 2595a on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, which allows the rear plate recess 2595a to reflect and refract light (decorative light) from the LEDs on the LED board 2519a located behind it. This allows the passageway decorative portion 2590A to be illuminated and decorated by the reflection of decorative light by the rear plate protrusion 2594a and the reflection of decorative light by the rear plate recess 2595a, which draws the player's gaze toward the passageway decorative portion 2590A and allows the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B circulating through the passageway decorative portion 2590A.

In addition, according to the passage decorative part 2590A shown in Figure 146 (a), the LED board 2519a serving as the specific member 2519 covers the rear of the rear plate recess 2595a, making the rear plate recess 2595a untouchable. This prevents the rear plate recess 2595a from becoming soiled by the fingers of an operator touching it during the manufacturing of the gaming board 5, and ensures that the decorative light is reflected and refracted in the rear plate recess 2595a. Furthermore, because the LED board 2519a covers the rear plate recess 2595a, it is difficult for dirt and dust to enter the rear plate recess 2595a, preventing the rear plate recess 2595a from looking unsightly due to dirt and dust.

Furthermore, the passageway decoration part 2590A shown in FIG. 146(a) has multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a, and when the game ball B comes into contact with these rear plate protrusions 2594a, the circulation speed of the game ball B can be slowed down, making the game ball B easier to see. Furthermore, an LED board 2519a is provided behind the rear plate part 2592, and the passageway decoration part 2590A can be illuminated by illuminating the LEDs on the LED board 2519a. This illumination makes the game ball B circulating through the passageway decoration part 2590A appear as a silhouette, making the movement of the game ball B easier to see and entertaining the player.

Furthermore, according to the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 146 (a), only the glass 120 is provided in front of the rear plate portion 2592. Therefore, depending on the size and shape of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, the game ball B that comes into contact with the rear plate protrusion 2594a will bounce forward and hit the glass 120, creating an audible impact sound that can attract the player's attention.

The passage decorative portion 2590A shown in FIG. 146(b) includes a rear plate portion 2592 inserted into the opening 1112 provided in the gaming panel 1100, a rear plate recess 2595a provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, an LED board 2519a as a specific member 2519 that covers the rear of the rear plate recess 2595a and makes it untouchable, multiple rear plate protrusions 2594a protruding forward from the rear plate portion 2592, a first protrusion 2594c protruding forward from the rear plate portion 2592 and extending toward the front of the gaming panel 1100, multiple second protrusions 2594d protruding forward from the first protrusion 2594c, a first recess 2595e provided on the back side of the first protrusion 2594c, and a second recess 2595f provided on the back side of the second protrusion 2594d.

In the passage decorative part 2590A shown in Figure 146 (b), the rear plate part 2592 and LED board 2519a are inserted into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. There is a gap between the rear plate part 2592 and the LED board 2519a, but the outer periphery of the gap between the rear plate part 2592 and the LED board 2519a is surrounded by the inner periphery of the opening 1112. Therefore, even if the gap between the rear plate part 2592 and the LED board 2519a is large enough to fit a finger, since the outer periphery of the gap is surrounded, it is not possible to insert a finger between the rear plate part 2592 and the LED board 2519a from the outside, and the rear plate recess 2595a of the rear plate part 2592 is untouchable by fingers.

The rear panel 2592 and the first convex portion 2594c may be decorated with fine irregularities such as embossing. When embossing is applied to the rear panel 2592, the first convex portion 2594c, etc., the embossing can hide wiring, components, etc. behind. At least one of the rear panel convex portion 2594a, the first convex portion 2594c, and the second convex portion 2594d may be a specific convex portion 2596 that does not have a rear panel recess 2595a, a first recess 2595e, or a second recess 2595f on the back side. Furthermore, the glass 120 of the door frame 3 is provided in front of the rear panel 2592 and the first convex portion 2594c with a gap allowing the game ball B to pass through, but the front panel 2593 may also be provided with a gap.

According to the passage decorative part 2590A shown in Figure 146 (b), a rear plate recess 2595a, a first recess 2595e and a second recess 2595f are provided on the back side of the rear plate convex part 2594a, the first recess 2594c and the second recess 2594d, so that the rear plate recess 2595a, the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f can reflect or refract light (decorative light) from the LED of the LED board 2519a provided at the rear. As a result, the passage decoration portion 2590A is illuminated and decorated by the reflection of decorative light by the rear plate convex portion 2594a, first convex portion 2594c, and second convex portion 2594d, and the reflection of decorative light by the rear plate concave portion 2595a, first concave portion 2595e, and second concave portion 2595f, thereby drawing the player's gaze to the passage decoration portion 2590A and allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B circulating through the passage decoration portion 2590A.

Furthermore, according to the passage decorative part 2590A shown in Figure 146 (b), the rear of the rear panel recess 2595a is covered by the LED board 2519a as the specific member 2519, and the rear of the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f is covered by the gaming panel 1100 as the specific member 2519, making the rear panel recess 2595a, first recess 2595e and second recess 2595f untouchable by fingers. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the rear panel recess 2595a, first recess 2595e and second recess 2595f from being soiled by the fingers of an operator touching the rear panel recess 2595a, first recess 2595e and second recess 2595f during the manufacturing of the gaming board 5, and decorative light can be reliably reflected and refracted in the rear panel recess 2595a, first recess 2595e and second recess 2595f. Furthermore, because a specific member 2519 is provided to cover the rear panel recess 2595a, first recess 2595e, and second recess 2595f, it is difficult for dirt, dust, etc. to enter the rear panel recess 2595a, first recess 2595e, and second recess 2595f, preventing the appearance from being marred by dirt, etc.

Furthermore, with the passageway decoration 2590A shown in FIG. 146(b), the presence of the first convex portion 2594c narrows the gap between the first convex portion 2594c and the forward component (e.g., the glass 120, the front panel portion 2593, etc.), thereby slowing down the circulation speed of the game ball B entering the passageway decoration 2590A. Furthermore, because the first convex portion 2594c is provided with multiple second convex portions 2594d, these second convex portions 2594d can further slow down the circulation speed of the game ball B. In this case, because the LED board 2519a is provided behind the rear panel portion 2592, the passageway decoration 2590A can be illuminated by illuminating the LEDs on the LED board 2519a. This illumination allows the game ball B circulating through the passageway decoration 2590A to appear as a silhouette, making the movement of the game ball B easier to see and entertaining for the player.

Furthermore, according to the passage decorative portion 2590A shown in Figure 146 (b), only the glass 120 is provided in front of the rear plate portion 2592, and therefore by combining the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, the game ball B is decelerated between the glass 120 and the first convex portion 2594c or the second convex portion 2594d. At this time, the game ball B hits the glass 120 relatively hard, making a loud impact sound that can attract the player's attention.

Note that while Figures 146(a) and (d) show the rear plate protrusion 2594a and second protrusion 2594d protruding in a semicircular shape, this is not limited to this, and the rear plate protrusion 2594a and second protrusion 2594d may of course be triangular or trapezoidal.

[11-9. 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 124 etc. When assembled on the play board 5, the center device 2500 is located approximately in the center of the play area 5a. Although not shown, within the play area 5a, multiple obstacle nails are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on both the left and right outer portions and the lower portion of the center device 2500, and in the first nailed passage section 2517c and the second nailed passage section 2517f of the ball passage 2517. In addition, a windmill (not shown) that rotates when the game ball B comes into contact with it is provided to the left of the center device 2500 and above the upper left side unit 2300.

Below the guide passage group 2520 on the left side of the center device 2500, multiple obstacle nails are provided, planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement between the guide passage group 2520 and the inner rail 1002. On the left side of the center device 2500 within the gaming area 5a, the entrance to the warp passage 2512 opens slightly upward from the left, in a location below the vertical center of the inflow restriction section 2511c of the center frame 2511. A windmill (not shown) is provided between the warp passage 2512 and the shelf section 2301 of the upper left side unit 2300. Although not shown, multiple obstacle nails (so-called road nails) are arranged diagonally from near the bottom right of the windmill along the bottom edge of the center device 2500 to a location near the bottom left edge of the stage 2513.

A game ball B that is shot to the left side of the center device 2500 will pass through either the first guide passage 2521 or the second guide passage 2522 of the guide passage group 2520, and then enter the warp passage 2512 with a certain probability. In this embodiment, a game ball B guided to the second guide passage 2522 is more likely to enter the warp passage 2512 than a game ball B guided to the first guide passage 2521.

Game ball B that enters the warp passage 2512 is supplied to the stage 2513 located within the frame of the center device 2500, rolls left and right on the stage 2513, and is released from either the central release section 2513a or the side release section 2513b so as to return to the game area 5a. The central release section 2513a of the stage 2513 is located directly above the first starting opening 2003 in the left-right center of the game area 5a, so game ball B released from the central release section 2513a has a high probability of being accepted by the first starting opening 2003. Game ball B released from the side release sections 2513b on either side of the central release section 2513a has a certain probability of being accepted by the first starting opening 2003.

After being received into the first starting port 2003, the game ball B is detected by the first starting port sensor 3003 of the starting port 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 the game ball B is detected by the first starting port sensor 3003, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of game balls B are added to the number of balls the player has, and when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved first special symbols is less than four), a lottery is held for a first special symbol that can create an advantageous game state that is advantageous to the player. The drawn first special symbol is also referred to as the first special lottery result.

Game balls B that are released from stage 2513 and are not received by the first starting port 2003 are received by the outlet 1008 and discharged outside the game area 5a. Game balls B that are received by the outlet 1008 are guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and then discharged to the outlet ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

If a game ball B is shot into the outer left side of the center device 2500 and does not enter the 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 guide 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 starting opening 2003 or the general winning opening 2001 located in the side unit 2200. A game ball B that flows to the right of the center of the windmill may be accepted by the sub-out opening 2021 located in the side unit 2200. A game ball B that is not accepted by the first starting opening 2003, general winning opening 2001, or sub-out opening 2021 is accepted by the out opening 1008 and discharged outside the game area 5a.

Game ball B received by general winning opening 2001 is guided to the rear of the game 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 game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of balls are added to the player's possession.

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 accepted by the general winning opening 2001 and sub-outlet 2021 provided in the side unit 2200. A game ball B accepted by the sub-outlet 2021 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 accepted by the general winning opening 2001 or sub-outlet 2021 is accepted by the outlet 1008 and discharged outside the game area 5a.

Next, on the right side of the center role-playing device 2500, a long ball passage 2517 is provided running vertically, and in this ball passage 2517, from top to bottom, there are a large prize opening 2005, a second starting opening 2004, and a regular prize opening 2002. A plurality of obstacle nails are planted in the first nailed passage section 2517c directly above the second starting opening 2004, and in the second nailed passage section 2517f directly above the regular prize opening 2002.

When a gaming ball B is hit to the right into the gaming area 5a and enters the ball passage 2517, it first flows through the attacca passage 2517a and rolls on the large prize opening door 2413 that closes the large prize opening 2005. This large prize opening 2005 is opened by the attacca solenoid 2414, which retracts the large prize opening door 2413, depending on the first special symbol (first special lottery result) drawn when the gaming ball B is received by the first starting opening 2003, or the second special symbol (second special lottery result) drawn when the gaming ball B is received by the second starting opening 2004 (for example, when the drawn special symbol (special lottery result) is a "big win," "medium win," "small win," etc.). The opening and closing pattern of the large prize opening 2005 differs depending on the lottery results for the first and second special symbols.

Therefore, when game ball B circulates (rolls) through the attacca passage 2517a at the timing when the large prize opening 2005 is open, the game ball B is accepted by the large prize opening 2005. As a result, when a special pattern that opens or closes the large prize opening 2005 is drawn, the player can perform a "right hit" so that game ball B flows into the ball passage 2517 in which the large prize opening 2005 is located, and so that game ball B is accepted by the large prize opening 2005.

Game ball B received in the large prize opening 2005 is detected by the large prize opening sensor 2506 located below. When game ball B is detected by the large prize opening sensor 2506, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of balls are added to the player's possession.

When a game ball B is received in the first starting opening 2003 or the second starting opening 2004 and a "winning symbol" is drawn as the first or second special symbol, the big prize opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, and the distribution blades 2536 operate in a predetermined pattern.

When a game ball B is received into the big prize opening 2005 during a "winning combination," it is sorted by the sorting blade 2536 into the losing opening 2009. After being detected by the losing opening sensor 2504, it is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and then discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

On the other hand, when a game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005 during a "winning combination," it is sorted by the sorting blade 2536 into the V prize opening 2010. After being detected by the V prize opening sensor 2507, it is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and then discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

In this embodiment, if game ball B is received in the losing slot 2009, no special bonus is awarded to the player, but if game ball B is received in the V winning slot 2010, the player is awarded a bonus of a predetermined number of rounds (e.g., 15 rounds) of jackpot play.

A game ball B that is not accepted into the large prize opening 2005 in the attacker passage 2517a of the ball passage 2517 enters the first nailed passage 2517c via the right edge passage 2517b. Then, when the game ball B enters the second starting opening passage entrance 2415 of the first nailed passage 2517c, there is a possibility that it will be accepted into the second starting opening 2004.

The second starting port 2004 is normally closed and cannot be accepted. When a game ball B is accepted into the normal winning port 2002 and a "normal win" is drawn as the normal symbol (normal lottery result), the start port solenoid 2412 moves the second starting port door 2411 back and the guide piece 2411a moves forward, opening the second starting port 2004 to an open state where it can be accepted. In this state, when game ball B enters the second starting port passage entrance 2415 and is guided by the guide piece 2411a, the game ball B is accepted into the second starting port 2004.

After being detected by the second start port sensor 2505, gaming ball B received by the second start port sensor 2004 is handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, from which it is discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When gaming ball B is detected by the second start port sensor 2505, a bonus is awarded in which the player's number of balls is increased by a predetermined number, and when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved second special symbols is less than four), a lottery is held for a second special symbol that can create an advantageous gaming state for the player. The drawn second special symbol is also referred to as the second special lottery result.

Game ball B that flows through the first nailed passage section 2517c and is not accepted into the second starting opening 2004 enters the second nailed passage section 2517f via the left passage section 2517d or the right passage section 2517e. The regular winning opening 2002 is always open at the center of the lower end of the second nailed passage section 2517f, and game ball B is accepted into the regular winning opening 2002 with a certain probability.

Game ball B received by normal winning port 2002 is guided to the rear of game panel 1100 and handed over to rear ball guidance unit 3100 of rear unit 3000. It is then detected by normal winning port sensor 3002 and discharged to safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When game ball B is detected by normal winning port sensor 3002, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of balls are added to the player's possession, and if a predetermined condition is met (for example, if the number of reserved normal symbols is less than four), a lottery is held to determine a normal symbol that will allow game ball B to be received by second starting port 2004. The normal symbol thus drawn is also referred to as the normal lottery result.

Then, game ball B that is not accepted into the normal winning port 2002 passes through the exit passage portion 2517g and is discharged from the outlet 1008 outside the game area 5a.

In this embodiment, during the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol, which opens and closes the large prize slot 2005 and the accessory prize slot 2006 to create a favorable game state in which the player has an advantage, the first start slot 2003 is always open to receive game ball B, while the second start slot 2004 is only able to receive game ball B in a predetermined pattern when the normal lottery, which is drawn when game ball B is received by the normal prize slot 2002, results in a "normal win." This makes it more likely that game ball B will be received by the first start slot 2003 than by the second start slot 2004.

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 received by the first starting opening 2003. 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 the pachinko machine 1 using game ball B and increasing the anticipation of game ball B being received by the first starting opening 2003.

When game ball B is accepted into first starting opening 2003 and a "win" (for example, a "small win," "medium win," "big win," "reel win," etc.) is selected as the result of the lottery for the first special pattern, large prize opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, allowing the player to enjoy the operation of shooting game ball B into the right side of center reel 2500 (so-called "right hit") so that game ball B can be accepted into large prize opening 2005, and increasing the player's anticipation for game ball B to be accepted into large prize opening 2005.

A normal winning opening 2002 is provided on the right side of this central device 2500. When game ball B is received by normal winning opening 2002, a normal lottery is held to determine whether second starting opening 2004 is ready to receive the ball. This allows players to enjoy whether game ball B hit to the right side passes through normal winning opening 2002, and also whether game ball B is received by second starting opening 2004 when it becomes ready to receive the ball.

In addition, when a "winning combination" occurs, there is a possibility that game ball B received in large prize opening 2005 will be allocated to V prize opening 2010 by distribution blade 2536, which can keep the player on edge and thrilled depending on whether or not game ball B is allocated to V prize opening 2010, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

When game ball B is received into V entry port 2010, or when game ball B is received into first start port 2003 and second start port 2004 and a "jackpot" is drawn as the first and second special symbols, large entry port 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, providing an opportunity for many game balls B to be added to the player's ball count. Therefore, the player can aim game ball B at the right side of center device 2500 so that game ball B can be received into large entry port 2005, which is open and closed. This entertains the player and prevents a decline in interest.

[11-10. Overall configuration of the rear unit]
Next, the overall configuration of the back unit 3000 in the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 122 and 123. The back unit 3000 includes a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 154) that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1), a general winning opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the general winning opening 2001 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, a regular winning opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the regular winning opening 2002 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, and a first starting opening sensor 3003 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the first starting opening 2003 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100. The general winning opening sensor 3001, the regular winning opening sensor 3002, and the first starting opening sensor 3003 are provided in a back 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 which is slidable left and right on the rear wall of the rear box 3010 and is used to attach and detach the effect display device 1600; and a rear board unit 3040 which 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.

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 decoration unit 3200, which is located behind the rear ball guide unit 3100 within the rear box 3010; a rear front performance unit 3300, which is located above the rear ball guide unit 3100 near the front end within the rear box 3010; and a rear rear performance unit 3400, which is located behind the rear front performance unit 3300 within the rear box 3010.

The back decoration unit 3200, back front performance unit 3300, and back rear performance unit 3400 in the back unit 3000 are capable of showing the player predetermined moving and light-emitting effects as the game progresses.

[11-10a. Back box]
Next, the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 100 and 101. The rear box 3010 is attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100 (panel holder 1120), and the presentation unit is attached inside the box-shaped interior, with the presentation display device 1600 and rear board unit 3040 attached to the rear surface. The rear box 3010 is formed to be transparent. This allows the interior to be seen from the outside even when assembled to the game 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 performance display device 1600 (19-inch LCD display device).

The upper fixed piece 1611 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 1612 of the performance display device 1600 can be inserted from the rear into the locking mechanism part 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 1612 inserted into the locking mechanism part 3010d, sliding the locking slider 3020 to the right when viewed from the rear allows the locking slider 3020 to prevent the lower fixed piece 1612 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 liquid crystal spacer 1610 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 rearward around the axis 3041a, thereby allowing the effect display device 1600 to be attached or detached without removing the rear board unit 3040 from the rear box 3010.

[11-10b. Back ball guidance unit]
Next, the rear ball guide unit 3100 in the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 122 etc. The rear ball guide unit 3100 is provided in the rear box 3010 at the bottom near the front end, and is attached to the rear box 3010 via a rear decorative unit 3200. The rear ball guide unit 3100 includes a general winning opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001, a normal winning opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B received in the normal winning opening 2002, a first starting opening sensor 3003 that detects a game ball B received in the first starting opening 2003, and a plurality of magnetic sensors 1030 that can detect illicit magnetism acting within the game area 5a.

The back ball guide unit 3100 receives game balls B received in the general winning port 2001, normal winning port 2002, first starting port 2003, second starting port 2004, big winning port 2005, losing port 2009, and V winning port 2010 in the front unit 2000 at the rear of the game panel 1100, guides them toward the center in the left-right direction, and then discharges them into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

In addition, the back ball guide unit 3100 receives the game ball B received in the sub-out port 2021 of the front unit 2000 at the rear of the game panel 1100, guides it toward the center in the left-right direction, and then discharges it into the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

The back ball guide unit 3100 is located in the center in the left-right direction and is equipped with a back lower front decorative body 3110 modeled after an ogre's face, and a back lower front decorative board mounted with multiple LEDs on the rear side of the back lower front decorative body 3110. By illuminating the LEDs on this back lower front decorative board, the back lower front decorative body 3110 can be illuminated and decorated.

[11-10c. Back decoration unit]
Next, the rear decorative unit 3200 in the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 122, 147, 148, etc. The rear decorative unit 3200 is provided behind the rear ball guide unit 3100 inside the rear box 3010, and is attached to the front side below the opening 3010a in the rear wall of the rear box 3010. The rear ball guide unit 3100 is attached to the front side of this rear decorative unit 3200.

The back decorative unit 3200 comprises a back-bottom left decorative body 3210 and a back-bottom right decorative body 3220, which are formed in the shape of two peaches; a back-bottom drive mechanism (not shown) that raises and lowers the back-bottom left decorative body 3210 and the back-bottom right decorative body 3220 and rotates them in a direction that separates their upper ends; and back-bottom left decorative boards and back-bottom right decorative boards (not shown) that are mounted with multiple LEDs to illuminate and decorate the back-bottom left decorative body 3210 and the back-bottom right decorative body 3220, respectively.

The lower back left decorative body 3210 and the lower back right decorative body 3220 are formed symmetrically to each other and are configured to combine (combine) to form a single decorative body resembling a peach. In their normal state, the lower back left decorative body 3210 and the lower back right decorative body 3220 are combined and located behind the lower back front decorative body 3110, in a retracted position that is not visible from the front. The lower back left decorative body 3210 and the lower back right decorative body 3220 can be moved by the lower back drive mechanism from the retracted position while remaining combined to an emerging position where they are elevated above the lower back front decorative body 3110 and are visible from the front. The lower back left decorative body 3210 and the lower back right decorative body 3220 can also be moved by the lower back drive mechanism from the emerging position to an expanded position where their upper ends rotate apart and are open.

The lower left decorative element 3210 and the lower right decorative element 3220 can be illuminated by appropriately illuminating the LEDs (full color LEDs) mounted on the lower left decorative board and the lower right decorative board.

[11-10d. Backstage Production Unit]
Next, the rear front performance unit 3300 in the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 122, 152, and 153. The rear front performance unit 3300 is provided above the rear ball guide unit 3100 near the front end of the rear box 3010, and is attached near the front end of the rear box 3010.

The back-front performance unit 3300 comprises a back-front decorative body 3360 that is long on both sides and decorated with a specific design, a back-front decorative board (not shown) that is mounted on the rear side of the back-front decorative body 3360 and has multiple LEDs mounted on it, and a back-front drive mechanism (not shown) for moving the back-front decorative body 3360.

The front rear decorative body 3360 is movable by a front rear drive mechanism between a retracted position at the rising end and an emerging position at the falling end, and is also rotatable around an axis extending in the front-to-back direction. In its normal state, the front rear decorative body 3360 is moved to the retracted position at the rising end. When in the retracted position, the front rear decorative body 3360 is located behind the decorative body 2570 located along the top edge of the center role piece 2500, and is not visible from the front.

When the rear front decorative body 3360 is moved from the retracted position to the emerging position by the rear front drive means, it is positioned approximately in the center of the frame of the center role device 2500 and is visible through the frame of the center role device 2500. When in the emerging position, the rear front decorative body 3360 can be rotated by the rear front drive means around an axis that extends back and forth and passes through the center of the rear front decorative body 3360.

In addition, the front-rear decorative body 3360 can be illuminated and decorated even while rotating by appropriately illuminating the LEDs (full-color LEDs) mounted on the front-rear decorative board.

[11-10e. Backstage Production Unit]
Next, the rear-back performance unit 3400 of the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 122, 149 to 151, and 153. It is attached to the rear of the front-back performance unit 3300 inside the rear box 3010. The rear-back performance unit 3400 includes a rear-left decorative body 3420 that is decorated with a predetermined ornament and whose left end is attached so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction, a rear-right decorative body 3430 that is decorated with a predetermined ornament and whose right end is attached so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction, a rear-left drive mechanism (not shown) for moving the rear-left decorative body 3420, and a rear-right drive mechanism (not shown) for moving the rear-right decorative body 3430.

The rear-left decorative body 3420 and the rear-right decorative body 3430 are placed after the front-back decorative body 3360. Furthermore, the rear-left decorative body 3420 is placed after the rear-right decorative body 3430. Therefore, the front-back decorative body 3360, the rear-left decorative body 3420, and the rear-right decorative body 3430 do not interfere with each other.

The rear-left decorative element 3420 can be moved by the rear-left drive mechanism between a retracted position where the left and right ends extend horizontally at the same height, and an emerging position where the right end lowers and extends diagonally downward to the right. The rear-left decorative element 3420 is normally moved to the retracted position where it extends horizontally. In this retracted position, the rear-left decorative element 3420 is located behind the decorative element 2570 that is provided along the top edge of the center gimmick 2500, and is not visible from the front. When the rear-left decorative element 3420 moves from the retracted position to the emerging position, it diagonally crosses the frame of the center gimmick 2500 from the upper left to the lower right, and is visible throughout the frame of the center gimmick 2500.

The rear right decorative element 3430 can be moved by the rear right drive mechanism between a retracted position where the left and right ends extend horizontally at the same height, and an emerging position where the left end lowers and extends diagonally downward to the left. The rear right decorative element 3430 is normally moved to the retracted position where it extends horizontally. In this retracted position, the rear right decorative element 3430 is located behind the decorative element 2570 that is provided along the top edge of the center role element 2500, and is not visible from the front. When the rear right decorative element 3430 moves from the retracted position to the emerging position, it diagonally crosses the frame of the center role element 2500 from the upper right to the lower left, and is visible throughout the frame of the center role element 2500.

The rear left decorative element 3420 and the rear right decorative element 3430 can be illuminated by appropriately illuminating the LEDs (full color LEDs) mounted on the rear left decorative board and rear right decorative board located on the rear of each element.

[11-11. Game board effects]
Next, the effects of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 118, 147 to 153. Figure 147 is a front view of the game board in a normal state, in which the lower left and lower right decorative elements of the rear decorative unit have been moved from their retracted positions to their appearing positions. Figure 148 is a front view of the game board in a state in which the lower left and lower right decorative elements of the rear decorative unit have been expanded from the state of Figure 147. Figure 149 is a front view of the game board in a normal state, in which the left rear decorative element of the rear rear performance unit has been moved from its retracted position to its appearing position. Figure 150 is a front view of the game board in a normal state, in which the right rear decorative element of the rear rear performance unit has been moved from its retracted position to its appearing position. Figure 151 is a front view of the game board in a normal state, in which the left rear decorative element and the right rear decorative element of the rear rear performance unit have been moved from their retracted positions to their appearing positions. Figure 152 is a front view of the game board in a normal state in which the front back decorative body of the front back performance unit has been moved from the retracted position to the appearing position. Figure 153 is a front view of the game board in a normal state in which the front back decorative body of the front back performance unit and the back left decorative body and back right decorative body of the back back performance unit have been moved from the retracted position to the appearing position.

As shown in Figure 118, the game board 5 of this embodiment allows the display screen of the back unit 3000 and the effect display device 1600, which are located at the rear, to be seen primarily through the frame of the center role device 2500. This game board 5 allows the back lower front decoration 3110 of the back ball guide unit 3100 to be seen at all times through the frame of the center role device 2500.

In the normal state of the game board 5, the rear lower left decorative body 3210 and the rear lower right decorative body 3220 of the rear decorative unit 3200 in the rear unit 3000 have moved to a retracted position at the lower end and are located behind the rear lower front decorative body 3110, making them invisible from the front. Furthermore, the rear front decorative body 3360 of the rear front performance unit 3300 has moved to a retracted position at the upper end and is located behind the decorative body 2570 attached to the upper edge of the center gimmick 2500, making them invisible from the front. Furthermore, the rear left decorative body 3420 and the rear right decorative body 3430 of the rear rear performance unit 3400 have moved to retracted positions extending horizontally and are located behind the decorative body 2570 and the rear front decorative body 3360, making them invisible from the front.

In this normal state, the performance image displayed on the performance display device 1600 can be fully seen through the frame of the center gadget 2500.

The gaming board 5 of this embodiment can use the rear decorative unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 to execute effects (movable effects) such as those shown in Figures 147 and 148. This effect moves the rear lower left decorative body 3210 and rear lower right decorative body 3220, combined, from a retracted position to an emerging position (see Figure 147). This makes the peach-shaped decorative body formed by the rear lower left decorative body 3210 and rear lower right decorative body 3220 visible, making the player feel as though something good is about to happen.

Then, when the lower back left decorative body 3210 and the lower back right decorative body 3220 are moved to the revealed position and then further moved to the expanded position, the upper ends of the lower back left decorative body 3210 and the lower back right decorative body 3220 rotate so that they move apart. This creates a state that looks like the simulated peach has split open, making the player believe that their chance has arrived.

Next, the gaming board 5 can execute an effect such as that shown in FIG. 149 using the rear display unit 3400 of the rear unit 3000. This effect moves the rear left decorative element 3420 from its retracted position to its appearing position. This causes the rear left decorative element 3420 to appear visibly diagonally across the frame of the center gamble 2500 from the upper left to the lower right, surprising the player and making them believe that their chance has arrived, heightening their anticipation for the game.

The gaming board 5 can also use the rear display unit 3400 of the rear unit 3000 to perform a display such as that shown in FIG. 150. This display moves the rear right decorative element 3430 from a retracted position to an appearance position. This causes the rear right decorative element 3430 to appear visibly diagonally, crossing the frame of the center gamble 2500 from the top right to the bottom left, surprising the player and making them believe that their chance has arrived, heightening their anticipation for the game.

Furthermore, the back-end performance unit 3400 of the back unit 3000 can be used to perform a performance such as that shown in Figure 151. This performance moves the back-end left decorative element 3420 and the back-end right decorative element 3430 from their respective retracted positions to their respective appearance positions. This causes the back-end left decorative element 3420 and the back-end right decorative element 3430 to visibly appear in a diagonally crossing pattern within the frame of the center gamble 2500, greatly surprising the player and making them believe that their chance has arrived.

The rear-left decorative element 3420 and the rear-right decorative element 3430 may be moved to their respective appearance positions simultaneously, or the timing of their movement to their respective appearance positions may be staggered.

In addition, as a preview performance using the rear-end performance unit 3400, the rear-end left decorative body 3420 and the rear-end right decorative body 3430 may be moved or vibrated slightly from their retracted positions to their appearing positions.

Next, the gaming board 5 can use the back-front performance unit 3300 of the back unit 3000 to execute a performance such as that shown in FIG. 152. This performance moves the back-front decoration 3360 from its retracted position to its appearing position. This causes the back-front decoration 3360 to appear in the center of the frame of the center gambling device 2500 and become visible, surprising the player and making them believe that their chance has arrived, heightening their anticipation for the game.

In addition, as a performance using the back-front performance unit 3300, the back-front decorative body 3360 may be rotated while being moved to the appearance position. This can greatly surprise the player.

Next, the gaming board 5 can execute the effect shown in FIG. 153 using the back-front effect unit 3300 and back-back effect unit 3400 of the back unit 3000. This effect moves the back-front decorative body 3360, back-left decorative body 3420, and back-right decorative body 3430 from their retracted positions to their appearing positions. As a result, the three decorative bodies - the back-front decorative body 3360, back-left decorative body 3420, and back-right decorative body 3430 - appear overlapping like an asterisk (*) within the frame of the center role device 2500, making them visible, and creating a strong impact on the player. Then, rotating the back-front decorative body 3360 in this state can create an extremely strong impact on the player, and can even indicate that a "jackpot" has been confirmed.

[11-12. Control configuration of the gaming board of the second embodiment]
Next, the control configuration for performing various controls on the gaming board 5 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 154 and other figures. FIG. 154 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the gaming board of the second embodiment in outline. Note that FIG. 154 omits some of the electronic components such as sensors, solenoids, motors, and LEDs connected to the frame control board 740. Also, descriptions of the same components as those of the gaming board 5 of the first embodiment will be omitted.

As shown in the figure, the main control configuration of the pachinko machine 1 consists of a main control board 1310 and a peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5, and a frame control board 740 attached to the main body frame 4, with each board performing its own control function. The main control board 1310 controls the game operation (progress of the game). The peripheral control board 1510 is equipped with a peripheral control unit 1511 that controls various effects during gameplay 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.

In the game board 5 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 154, the first start gate sensor 3003, second start gate sensor 2505, general prize gate sensor 3001, normal prize gate sensor 3002, large prize gate sensor 2506, V prize gate sensor 2507, loss gate sensor 2504, etc. are connected to the main control board 1310. Also connected to the main control board 1310 are a magnetic sensor 1030, a vibration sensor 1040, etc. Furthermore, connected to the main control board 1310 are a start gate solenoid 2412, an attacca solenoid 2414, a distribution solenoid 2537, etc.

[12. Details of the center role on the game board]
Next, the center device 2500 provided on the game board 5 will be described in detail.

[12-1. Center accessory of the first embodiment]
The center role 2500 of the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 155 to 158. Figure 155 is an explanatory diagram showing the center role of the first embodiment attached to the gaming panel, cut in the vertical direction along the middle, along with the front component. Figure 156(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative body of the center role disassembled into the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion from the front, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative body consisting of the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion from the front. Figure 157 is an explanatory diagram showing the center role of Figure 155 with the center frame placed on the stand with the rear end facing down. Figure 158 is an explanatory diagram showing a partial cross section of a center role with a center frame to which a decorative body different from that of Figure 155 is attached.

The center device 2500 of the first embodiment is provided on the game board 5 of the first embodiment shown in Figures 96 to 101, etc. This center device 2500 comprises a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the front of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), warp passages 2512 that can guide game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2511 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 that is provided on the lower edge within the frame of the center frame 2511 and causes game balls B that have circulated through the warp passage 2512 to roll left and right before being released into the game area 5a.

The center feature 2500 also includes a decorative body 2570 attached to the center frame 2511 and decorated with a specified ornament.

The center frame 2511 has a frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 and is arranged along the inner surface of the opening 1112, extending in the front-to-rear direction; a flat flange portion 2511b that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a and abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; an inflow restriction portion 2511c that extends forward beyond the flange portion 2511b and restricts the game ball B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; and a flat support portion 2511d that protrudes from the inner periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a.

The rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a) is positioned forward of the rear end (rear surface) of the gaming panel 1100 (panel holder 1120). Note that the rear end of the center frame 2511 may not protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, or may protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100.

As shown in FIG. 155, the decorative body 2570 comprises a flat, transparent front plate 2571 attached to the front end of the center frame 2511, a front decorative portion 2572 attached to the front surface of the front plate, and a rear decorative portion 2573 located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a). In other words, the decorative body 2570 is arranged to extend within the frame of the center frame 2511, and comprises the rear decorative portion 2573 located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511, and the front decorative portion 2572 arranged to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion 2573. The front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 are decorated to coordinate with each other.

The front plate 2571 is positioned so that its rear surface abuts the front end surface of the inflow restriction portion 2511c. This front plate 2571 forms a ball passage 2517 between itself and the support portion 2511d, through which the game ball B can flow.

As shown in Figure 156, the front decorative portion 2572 of the decorative body 2570 is decorated with a specific pattern (here, a pattern of cloud-like designs arranged around the face of an ogre). The front decorative portion 2572 has a transparent translucent portion 2572a located in front of the spherical passage 2517, and multiple opaque dots 2572b located in the translucent portion 2572a and constituting part of the decorative pattern (see Figure 156(a)).

The transparent portion 2572a of the front decorative portion 2572 is formed to be colorless transparent or colored transparent. The colored transparent portion 2572a is colored the same color as the pattern so as to form part of the pattern. In this embodiment, the transparent portion 2572a in the demon face area is colored transparent, and the transparent portion 2572a in the cloud design area is colorless transparent.

Each dot 2572b of the front decorative part 2572 is colored the same color as the design. As shown enlarged in Figure 156(a), each of the multiple dots 2572b is circular and is arranged diagonally at 45 degrees above and below the horizontal at intervals equal to the diameter of the dots.

The rear decorative portion 2573 is attached to the rear side of the transparent support portion 2511d of the center frame 2511. The rear decorative portion 2573 is arranged to extend within the frame of the frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511. The decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 is an opaque design that is the same as the design of the front decorative portion 2572 arranged in front. Note that if the gaming panel 1100 is made of a transparent material, the rear decorative portion 2573 may be located on the back surface of the gaming panel 1100. This has the effect of allowing for a larger decorative area.

The front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 are made by printing decorative patterns on transparent resin film. In this embodiment, the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 are formed in the form of a film.

As shown in Figure 156 (b), when this decorative body 2570 is viewed from the front (front), the decoration (pattern) of the rear decorative part 2573 located at the rear can be seen through the transparent translucent part 2572a in the decoration (pattern) of the front decorative part 2572. Therefore, the pattern of the rear decorative part 2573 complements the translucent part 2572a, allowing the original pattern to be seen as if the translucent part 2572a were not there.

On the other hand, when game ball B flows through the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573, game ball B becomes visible through the transparent transmission portion 2572a in the front decorative portion 2572. This prevents the player from feeling distrustful or anxious due to game ball B becoming invisible, even if only temporarily, and allows the player to enjoy playing with game ball B and prevents a decline in interest.

In this embodiment, the decorative body 2570 is attached to the center frame 2511 at a position forward of the rear end of the insertion portion 2511a. In other words, when the decorative body 2570 is attached to the center frame 2511, no part of the decorative body 2570 protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511. As a result, as shown in Figure 157, when the center frame 2511 is placed with its rear end facing downwards on a stand TA with the decorative body 2570 attached to it, only the rear end surface of the insertion portion 2511a abuts (touches) the stand TA.

Details of the center role device 2500 of this embodiment will be omitted, but in addition to the decorative body 2570, a pattern display device 2518, a first distribution device 2530, a second distribution device 2540, a lottery role device 2550, etc. are attached to the center frame 2511. The pattern display device 2518 displays the special pattern or fourth pattern drawn by the reception of the game ball B into the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004.

In addition, although detailed illustrations are omitted, solenoids such as the first sorting solenoid 2534 of the first sorting device 2530 and the second sorting solenoid 2544 of the second sorting device 2540, which are attached to the center frame 2511, are attached so that their metal cases are located at the rear end. This means that when the center frame 2511 (center role 2500) is placed with its rear end facing down on the stand TA, the sturdy metal cases of the solenoids come into contact with the stand TA, making them less likely to be damaged during assembly work, etc. In this case, a resin cover may be provided to cover the metal cases of the solenoids.

Furthermore, although not shown in the figures, the center role device 2500 is provided with wiring connected to the LED board, relay board, solenoid, etc. The wiring is arranged so as to follow the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511 of the center role device 2500, and is also arranged so as to be hidden by the decoration of the decorative body 2570. This prevents the wiring from being visible to the player, which would otherwise spoil the appearance. The insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511 may be formed into a double-walled shape, with the wiring passing between the walls. In this case, it is preferable to use a flexible flat cable (FFC) for the wiring.

In the above embodiment, the transparent portion 2572a and the dot portion 2572b may be reversed. Specifically, the transparent portion 2572a may be an opaque portion with a pattern, and the dot portion 2572b may be a transparent portion.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the transmissive portion 2572a is shown as a transparent portion, but this is not limited to this and it may also be a portion that penetrates from front to back.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the decorative body 2570, consisting of a front decorative part 2572 having a transparent part 2572a and a dot part 2572b in the applied decoration (pattern), and a rear decorative part 2573 having a decoration (pattern) that complements the transparent part 2572a, is provided on the center frame 2511 of the center role piece 2500, but this is not limited to this, and the decorative body 2570 may also be provided on the starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, attacca unit 2400, back unit 3000, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the decorations for the front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 that make up the decorative body 2570 are shown as being made by printing a pattern on a transparent film, but this is not limited to this and the decorative body 2570A may also be a center gimmick 2500 that has a center frame 2511 to which it is attached, as shown in Figure 158. This decorative body 2570A has a flat front decorative portion 2572 that is attached to the front end of the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center frame 2511, and a three-dimensionally formed rear decorative portion 2573 that is attached within the frame of the frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a behind the front decorative portion 2572.

The front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570A are each decorated with a three-dimensionally shaped ornament, although detailed illustrations are omitted. The front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 are each decorated with ornaments that coordinate with each other. Furthermore, the front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 are arranged so that at least a portion of them overlap when viewed from the front.

The decorative body 2570A (rear decorative portion 2573) is located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511. Therefore, when the decorative body 2570A is attached to the center frame 2511, no part of the decorative body 2570A protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511.

This decorative body 2570A may be molded from pre-colored resin, or it may be painted or have a sticker attached after molding. Metallic pigments or plating may also be used to decorate the decorative body 2570A, and the sparkling decoration can strongly attract the player's attention, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

Furthermore, the decorative body 2570A may have a portion of the rear decorative part 2573 that protrudes forward to the same position as the front decorative part 2572. This makes it easier to create a sense of depth in the decorative body 2570A, further enhancing the decorative effect.

According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2570 is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the gaming panel 1100 of the gaming board 5, and the decorative body 2570 consists of a rear decorative portion 2573 that is located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511 and a front decorative portion 2572 that is located so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion 2573.As the center frame 2511 is transparent, it is less noticeable, making the decorative body 2570 stand out in comparison, and as the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 partially overlap, the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 and the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 can be made less noticeable, allowing the player to see the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 in good condition. As a result, the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 can form a decorative body 2570 with a high decorative effect, which can strongly attract the player's attention and make it difficult for them to become bored, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that can prevent the player's interest from declining.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the decoration of a portion of the front decorative portion 2572 (the portion in front of the ball passage 2517) that constitutes the decorative body 2570 is composed of a transparent portion 2572a and multiple dot portions 2572b, and a rear decorative portion 2573 is provided behind this portion, with decoration (decoration with the same pattern) that coordinates with the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572.As a result, the rear decorative portion 2573, which can be seen through the transparent transparent portion 2572a, complements the portion of the transparent portion 2572a, allowing a single, beautiful decoration (pattern) to be seen as if the transparent portion 2572a were not even there, and the player can be entertained by the decoration, which has a high decorative effect, due to its good quality.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, as described above, the decoration of the portion of the front decorative portion 2572 in front of the ball passage 2517 is composed of a transparent portion 2572a and multiple dot portions 2572b, so that the game ball B circulating through the ball passage 2517 can be seen from the front through the transparent portion 2572a. As a result, when no game ball B is circulating through the ball passage 2517, the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 at the rear can be seen through the transparent portion 2572a, allowing players to enjoy the beautiful decoration provided by the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573. However, when game ball B is circulating through the ball passage 2517, the game ball B can be seen through the transparent portion 2572a, preventing the player from feeling distrustful or anxious due to the game ball B becoming invisible. This allows players to enjoy playing with game ball B and prevents a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 is located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511. Therefore, when the decorative body 2570 is attached to the center frame 2511 and the center frame 2511 is placed with its rear end facing down on the base TA, only the rear end surface of the insertion portion 2511a abuts against the base TA. Therefore, when the center frame 2511 is placed with its rear end facing down on the base TA for assembly or disassembly work, the center frame 2511 does not wobble, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is easy to assemble, etc.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 is located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511, so the decorative body 2570 does not protrude rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame 2511, making it easier to secure space behind the center frame 2511 (gaming panel 1100). Therefore, it is possible to provide large decorative bodies, movable decorative bodies, etc. behind the center frame 2511, making it easier to construct a pachinko machine 1 that can provide even more enjoyment to players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pattern display 2518 for displaying special patterns is attached to the center frame 2511, so the pattern display 2518 can be attached to the gaming panel 1100 together with the center frame 2511, reducing the effort required for assembling the pachinko machine 1 compared to when the pattern display 2518 is attached separately.

The decoration of the center frame 2511 (decorative body 2570, decorative body 2570A) may be coordinated with the decoration applied to the gaming panel 1100.

[12-2. Center feature of the second embodiment]
The center role 2500 of the second embodiment will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 159 etc. Figure 159 (a) is an explanatory diagram of the main part of the center role of the second embodiment seen from within the frame, (b) is a cross-sectional view cut along line A-A in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the center role of (a) in a state where the rear end is downward and the center frame is placed on a stand.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the center device 2500 of the second embodiment, like the center device 2500 of the first embodiment, comprises a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the front of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), warp passages 2512 capable of guiding game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2511 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 provided at the lower edge within the frame of the center frame 2511, which rolls game balls B that have circulated through the warp passage 2512 in the left-right direction and then releases them into the game area 5a.

The center feature 2500 also includes a decorative body 2580 attached to the center frame 2511 and decorated with a specified ornament.

The center frame 2511 has a frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 and is arranged along the inner surface of the opening 1112, extending in the front-to-rear direction; a flat flange portion 2511b that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a and abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; an inflow restriction portion 2511c that extends forward beyond the flange portion 2511b and restricts the game ball B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; and a flat support portion 2511d that protrudes from the inner periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a.

The rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a) is positioned forward of the rear end (rear surface) of the gaming panel 1100 (panel holder 1120). Note that the rear end of the center frame 2511 may not protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, or may protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100.

The decorative body 2580 comprises a front decorative part 2581, a rear decorative part 2582, a transparent front cover 2583 covering the front side of the rear decorative part 2582, a flat diffusion lens 2584 provided on the rear side of the rear decorative part 2582 and capable of irradiating light incident from the side forward, a transparent rear cover 2585 attached to the rear side of the front cover 2583 so as to cover the diffusion lens 2584 from the rear, and an LED board 2586 on which LEDs 2586a are mounted that irradiate light onto the side of the diffusion lens 2584.

The front decorative part 2581 is located further forward than the rear decorative part 2582. The front decorative part 2581 is attached to the rear side of the transparent support part 2511d on the center frame 2511.

The rear decorative portion 2582 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, and a portion of it protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a).

The front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 are decorated with coordinated designs and are arranged so that they overlap at least partially when viewed from the front. Although not shown in the figures, the decoration of the front decorative portion 2581 and the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2582 are each decorated with a pattern of the corresponding part of a single design, separated by the area where they overlap when viewed from the front.

The front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 are entirely opaque. In other words, the front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 are composed of opaque portions. The front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 are also translucent. Note that the front decorative portion 2581 or the rear decorative portion 2582 may have a transparent portion (transparent portion) as part of the decoration.

The front decorative part 2581 and the rear decorative part 2582 are made by printing decorative patterns on transparent resin film. In this embodiment, the front decorative part 2581 and the rear decorative part 2582 are formed in the form of a film.

The LED board 2586 is located behind the front decorative part 2581. As a result, the LED board 2586 and the wiring connected to it are hidden by the front decorative part 2581 so that they cannot be seen from the front. The LED board 2586 can illuminate the rear decorative part 2582 by illuminating the multiple LEDs 2586a mounted on it.

When the decorative body 2580 of this embodiment is attached to the center frame 2511, a portion of it protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511. As a result, as shown in Figure 159 (c), when the decorative body 2580 is attached to the center frame 2511 and the center frame 2511 is placed with its rear end facing down on the stand TA, the rear end of the decorative body 2580 (rear decorative part 2582) abuts (touches) the stand TA, and a portion of the rear end of the center frame 2511 abuts the stand TA.

Details of the center role device 2500 of this embodiment will be omitted, but in addition to the decorative body 2580, a pattern display device 2518, a first distribution device 2530, a second distribution device 2540, a lottery role device 2550, etc. are attached to the center frame 2511. The pattern display device 2518 displays the special pattern or fourth pattern drawn by the reception of the game ball B into the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004.

In addition, although detailed illustrations are omitted, solenoids such as the first sorting solenoid 2534 of the first sorting device 2530 and the second sorting solenoid 2544 of the second sorting device 2540, which are attached to the center frame 2511, are attached so that their metal cases are located at the rear end. This means that when the center frame 2511 (center role 2500) is placed with its rear end facing down on the stand TA, the sturdy metal cases of the solenoids come into contact with the stand TA, making them less likely to be damaged during assembly work, etc. In this case, a resin cover may be provided to cover the metal cases of the solenoids.

In the above embodiment, the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511 may be formed into a double-walled structure, with the wiring of the LED board 2586 passing between the two walls. In this case, it is preferable to use a flexible flat cable (FFC) as the wiring.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the decoration of the front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 that make up the decorative body 2580 is shown as being made by printing a pattern on a transparent film, but this is not limited to this, and the front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 may also be three-dimensionally shaped. Alternatively, the configuration of the decorative body 2570 shown in Figure 156 may be applied to this embodiment.

According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2580 consisting of a rear decorative portion 2582, part of which protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511, and a front decorative portion 2581, which is provided forward of the rear decorative portion 2582, is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the gaming panel 1100 of the gaming board 5.The transparency of the center frame 2511 makes it less noticeable, making the decorative body 2580 stand out in comparison, and the front decorative portion 2581 and rear decorative portion 2582 of the decorative body 2580 allow the player to see a decoration with depth. In this case, the rear decorative portion 2582 and the front decorative portion 2581 are decorated in a coordinated manner, and are arranged so that a portion of each overlaps when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion 2581 and the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2582 when viewed from the front (front). This allows the player to see the large decoration formed by the front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 in good condition, and the rear decorative portion 2582 and the front decorative portion 2581 can form a large, deep, and highly decorative decorative body 2580. Therefore, because the decorative body 2580 with a highly decorative effect can be provided on the center frame 2511, the decorative body 2580 can strongly attract the player's attention, making it difficult for them to become bored, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that is capable of preventing a decline in player interest.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2582 that constitutes the decorative body 2580 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, so the rear decorative portion 2582 does not narrow the game area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 or make it difficult to see the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a, allowing players to enjoy playing with the game ball B in the game area 5a in good condition.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2582 that constitutes the decorative body 2580 extends within the framework of the center frame 2511. This makes it possible to decorate the periphery of the performance display device 1600 (display screen) for the performance display device 1600, the back front performance unit 3300, the back rear performance unit 3400, etc., which are provided behind the gaming panel 1100, and to work in conjunction with the decorative bodies (movable decorative bodies) of the back front performance unit 3300 and the back rear performance unit 3400 to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, thereby providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting the attention of players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opaque portions of the decorative body 2580 make it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components such as the LED board 2586 from the front. This allows the wiring to be hidden by the opaque portions, preventing the wiring from being visible and detracting from the appearance, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body 2580.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the decorative body 2580 (front decorative portion 2581) is arranged in front of the LED board 2586, so the LED board 2586 can be hidden by the decorative body 2580 (decoration), which prevents the LED board 2586 from being visible and making it look unattractive, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body 2580.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pattern display 2518 for displaying special patterns is attached to the center frame 2511, so the pattern display 2518 can be attached to the gaming panel 1100 together with the center frame 2511, reducing the effort required for assembling the pachinko machine 1 compared to when the pattern display 2518 is attached separately.

The decoration of the center frame 2511 (decorative body 2580) may be coordinated with the decoration applied to the gaming panel 1100.

[12-3. Center feature of the third embodiment]
Next, the center role 2500A of the third embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 160 to 163. Figure 160 is a front view of a game board on which the center role 2500A of the third embodiment is provided, with the rear side of the game panel omitted. Figure 161 is an exploded perspective view of the center role 2500A of Figure 160, viewed from the front, with the game panel disassembled. Figure 162 is an exploded perspective view of the center role 2500A of Figure 160, viewed from the front. Figures 163(a) to 163(g) are explanatory diagrams showing various joining patterns between the first frame and the second frame of the center role 2500. Note that, hereinafter, the same components as those of the center role 2500 described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

As shown in Figure 160, the center device 2500A of the third embodiment 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 gaming panel 1100. Note that the gaming panel 1100 of this embodiment is made from a single plate, as shown in Figure 161.

The center device 2500A comprises a transparent, frame-shaped center frame 2700, a warp passage 2512 capable of guiding game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2700 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 located at the bottom edge of the center frame 2700, which rolls game balls B that have passed through the warp passage 2512 left and right and then releases them into the game area 5a. As will be described in detail later, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 is divided into multiple frames circumferentially. This embodiment may also include a decorative body 2570 shown in FIG. 156 or a decorative body 2580 shown in FIG. 159. The decoration of the center frame 2700 (decorative body 2570, decorative body 2570A, decorative body 2580) may be coordinated with the decoration applied to the game panel 1100.

In addition, the center role piece 2500A has a connecting retainer 2710 that connects adjacent frames to each other among the multiple frames that make up the center frame 2700.

Furthermore, the center device 2500A has a pattern display 2518 that displays the results of the lottery for the special pattern drawn by receiving the game ball B into the first start port 2003 or the second start port 2004, a second start port unit 2720 that has the gate 2015 and the second start port 2004, an attacca unit 2730 that has the big prize port 2005, and a device prize port unit 2740 that has the device prize port 2006.

[12-3a. Center frame]
The center frame 2700 in the center device 2500A of the third embodiment is provided corresponding to the edge of the opening 1112 formed in the game panel 1100, and has an inflow restriction portion 2700a that restricts the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a from flowing into the inside of the opening 1112, and a flange portion 2700b extending from the rear end of the inflow restriction portion 2700a in a direction parallel to the front surface of the game panel 1100.

The inflow restriction portion 2700a of the center frame 2700 protrudes forward from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 when the center frame 2700 is attached to the gaming panel 1100.

The flange portion 2700b extends flatly to the outside or inside of the frame depending on its circumferential location on the center frame 2700. When the center frame 2700 is attached to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, a portion of the rear surface of the flange portion 2700b abuts against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100.

The center frame 2700 also has a non-flange portion 2700c where the flange portion 2700b does not extend from the rear end of the inflow restriction portion 2700a on at least one of the outer and inner sides of the frame, and an insertion portion (not shown) that extends rearward beyond the flange portion 2700b and is inserted into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. At the location of this non-flange portion 2700c, the rear surface of the inflow restriction portion 2700a coincides with the rear surface of the flange portion 2700b. The insertion portion is provided on a portion of the entire circumference of the center frame 2700.

In this embodiment, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 is divided into multiple parts in the circumferential direction. More specifically, the center frame 2700 is divided into five parts: a first frame 2701, a second frame 2702, a third frame 2703, a fourth frame 2704, and a fifth frame 2705, each of which has a similar configuration. This center role piece 2500A has a connecting retaining portion 2710 that connects adjacent frames.

The first frame 2701 constitutes the upper portion of the top and left sides of the center frame 2700, from the middle to the top. The second frame 2702 constitutes the lower portion and bottom side of the left side of the center frame 2700, from the middle to the top. The third frame 2703 constitutes the upper portion of the right side of the center frame 2700, and is continuous with the right end of the first frame 2701. The fourth frame 2704 constitutes the middle portion of the right side of the center frame 2700, and is continuous with the bottom end of the third frame 2703. The fifth frame 2705 constitutes the lower portion of the center frame 2700, and is continuous with the bottom end of the fourth frame 2704 and the right end of the second frame 2702.

The warp passage 2512 and stage 2513 are attached to the second frame 2702. The prize winning unit 2740 is attached to the third frame 2703. The second starting unit 2720 is attached to the fourth frame 2704. The attacker unit 2730 is attached to the fifth frame 2705.

Below, we will provide a detailed explanation of the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, which are representative of the multiple frames that make up the center frame 2700.

First, the first frame 2701 of the center frame 2700 is formed to be transparent. This first frame 2701 is formed to constitute the upper edge portion and the upper portion of the left edge in the vertical direction of the center frame 2700 (center feature 2500A).

The first frame 2701 is provided to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 formed in the gaming panel 1100, and has a first inflow restriction portion 2701a that restricts game balls B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112, a flat first flange portion 2701b that is connected to the rear end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and extends along the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, and a first non-flange portion 2701c at the rear end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a where the first flange portion 2701b is not provided on at least one of the outside and inside of the frame.

The first inflow restriction section 2701a of the first frame 2701 slopes linearly from near the center of the upper edge in the left-right direction so that the right side becomes lower to the right, and then the left side of that section bends in multiple stages to become lower as it moves to the left, transitioning to the left edge, with the bottom end of the left edge extending vertically downward.

One end of the connecting retainer 2710 is removably attached to the inside portion of the frame near the right end of the first inflow restrictor 2701a and to the inside portion of the frame extending vertically downward from the lower left end.

First flange portion 2701b is configured to extend both outside and inside the frame at the portion of the upper edge of first inflow restriction portion 2701a that slopes linearly downward to the right. Furthermore, first flange portion 2701b is configured to extend outside the frame except near the left end at the portion of first inflow restriction portion 2701a that is bent in multiple stages so that it becomes lower toward the left, and is also configured to extend inside the frame near the left end (the portion above the portion that extends vertically downward at the lower left end of first inflow restriction portion 2701a).

The first flange portion 2701b has mounting holes at appropriate positions for mounting to the gaming panel 1100.

The first non-flange portion 2701c is provided only on the inside of the frame at the right end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, and is provided on both the outside and inside of the frame at the portion extending vertically downward from the lower left end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a.

Next, the second frame 2702 of the center frame 2700 is formed to be transparent. This second frame 2702 is formed to form the lower portion of the left side of the center frame 2700 (center role piece 2500A) in the vertical direction, as well as the lower side portion. A warp passage 2512 and a stage 2513 are attached to the second frame 2702.

The second frame 2702 of the center frame 2700 is arranged to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 formed in the gaming panel 1100, and has a second inflow restriction portion 2702a that restricts game balls B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112, a flat second flange portion 2702b that is connected to the rear end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a and extends along the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, and a second non-flange portion 2702c at the rear end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a where the second flange portion 2702b is not provided on at least one of the outside and inside of the frame.

The second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702 is provided separately on the left side, extending vertically, and on the right edge of the bottom side, with no portion provided between these two portions. Specifically, the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a extends downward from the top edge of the left side along the left side, then transitions to the bottom side, and extends a short distance to the right (bottom right) along the bottom side so that its right edge is lower. Furthermore, the right-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a extends vertically along the right edge of the bottom side.

One end of the connecting retainer 2710 is removably attached to the inner portion of the frame at the upper end of the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a and to the right side (right side surface) of the right-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a.

The left second inflow restriction section 2702a has an entrance to the warp passage 2512, and a stage 2513 is provided between the left and right second inflow restriction sections 2702a.

The second flange portion 2702b is provided so as to extend inward of the frame at the portion of the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a that extends up and down (the left side portion), and is provided so as to extend both inward and outward of the frame at the portion that extends downward and to the right along the bottom side of the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a. This second flange portion 2702b is provided so as to extend significantly outward from the frame at the bottom side, connecting the two second inflow restriction portions 2702a that are separated into left and right sections by this portion.

The second flange portion 2702b has mounting holes at appropriate positions for mounting to the gaming panel 1100.

The second non-flange portion 2702c is located outside the frame in the portion extending vertically along the left edge of the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a, and is located on the right side (right side surface) of the right-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a.

This second frame 2702 extends rearward beyond the second flange portion 2702b and further has a second insertion portion (not shown) that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. The second insertion portion protrudes rearward from the second flange portion 2702b so as to connect the two second inflow restriction portions 2702a, which are separated into left and right portions. The stage 2513 is attached to this second insertion portion.

Next, we will explain how to attach the center frame 2700 to the gaming panel 1100, using the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 as examples. The first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 are attached to the gaming panel 1100 with mounting screws that pass through mounting holes provided in the first flange portion 2701b and the second flange portion 2702b.

For example, between the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, as shown in Figures 160 and 163(a), the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702 are attached to the gaming panel 1100 so that they are adjacent to each other.

More specifically, the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 are attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100 with the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702 positioned to the right of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 so that they slightly overlap in the vertical direction. In other words, the right side of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, where the first non-flange portion 2701c is provided, and the left side of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a, where the second non-flange portion 2702c is provided, are attached so that they face each other. This makes it possible for the first non-flange portion 2701c and the second non-flange portion 2702c to bring the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a as close together as possible.

However, in the case of a device that uses a center frame 2511 that is not divided circumferentially, such as the center device 2500 of the first embodiment, if it is desired to change the size of the play area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 due to a design change or the like, it is necessary to recreate the center frame 2511, which may increase costs.

In contrast, the center frame 2700 of this embodiment is divided into multiple frames (here, five frames: first frame 2701 to fifth frame 2705) circumferentially, so the size of the play area 5a can be freely changed by changing the mounting position of each frame.

Specifically, for example, if the area below the second frame 2702 in the play area 5a is to be enlarged, the second frame 2702 is moved upward from the state shown in FIG. 163(a), as shown in FIG. 163(b). This makes it possible to accommodate expansion and contraction of the play area 5a (opening 1112 of the play panel 1100) in the vertical direction.

Alternatively, if the area to the left of the second frame 2702 in the play area 5a is to be made smaller, as shown in FIG. 163(c), the second frame 2702 is moved leftward from the state shown in FIG. 163(a) so that the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702 is positioned to the left of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701. This makes it possible to accommodate expansion and contraction of the play area 5a (opening 1112 of the play panel 1100) in the left-right direction.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 163(d), the lower end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the upper end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702 may be arranged to face each other, butted together, and attached to the gaming panel 1100. This makes it possible to reduce the area to the left and below the second frame 2702 in the gaming area 5a compared to the state shown in Figure 163(a). In this case, the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a are butted together, making it possible to make the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 appear to be one unit.

Also, as shown in Figure 163 (e), a gap C may be formed between the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702. In this case, it is desirable to make the gap C smaller than the diameter of the game ball B. Note that if the gap C is larger than the diameter of the game ball B, an obstruction nail may be planted to prevent the game ball B from passing through the gap C.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 163(f), second non-flange portions 2702c, where the second flange portion 2702b is not formed, may be provided on both the left and right sides of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a side of the second frame 2702. This provides first non-flange portions 2701c on both the left and right sides of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, and second non-flange portions 2702c on both the left and right sides of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a, allowing the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a to be as close together as possible in the left-right direction. This increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the second frame 2702 relative to the first frame 2701, making it possible to accommodate play areas 5a of various sizes due to design changes, etc. In other words, it is easier to accommodate expansion and contraction of the play area 5a (opening 1112 of the game panel 1100) in the vertical and horizontal directions.

Also, as shown in Figure 163 (g), the first flange portion 2701b may be provided on the first frame 2701 up to the lower end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a. This increases the rigidity of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a due to the presence of the first flange portion 2701b, making it less likely to be damaged even if a game ball B comes into contact with the first inflow restriction portion 2701a.

In this center frame 2700, a clearance is provided between adjacent frames. Although not specifically numbered, this clearance refers to a portion (the portion surrounding the end of the frame) that allows relative movement with respect to the ends of adjacent frames, as illustrated in Figure 163. If the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 can expand and contract left and right, at least two clearances are required to allow movement left and right. Similarly, if the opening 1112 can expand and contract up and down, at least two clearances are required to allow movement up and down. Furthermore, if the opening 1112 can expand and contract up, down, left and right, at least two clearances are required to allow movement up and down, and at least two clearances are required to allow movement left and right.

Specifically, there is clearance in the vertical direction at both ends of the second frame 2702, i.e., between the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, and between the second frame 2702 and the fifth frame 2705 (see Figures 160 to 162). Furthermore, there is clearance in the horizontal direction at both ends of the third frame 2703, i.e., between the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, and between the third frame 2703 and the fourth frame 2704. Note that while the clearance in the vertical direction is shown in Figure 163, the same applies to the clearance in the horizontal direction.

Incidentally, in the area between the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, for example, where there is clearance in the left-right direction, game balls B roll on the upper surface of the left-right extending portion of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701. Therefore, if the first frame 2701 is moved to the left and attached, a gap will be formed between the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, which may impede the flow of game balls B. In such cases, spacers or rows of obstacle nails can be installed in the clearance area to prevent the flow of game balls B from being impeded. For this reason, it is more difficult to expand the game area 5a (opening 1112 of the game panel 1100) left-right than up-down due to factors such as the flow of game balls B.

As such, according to this embodiment, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 of the center role device 2500A is divided into multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, circumferentially around the frame. Therefore, when it is necessary to change the size of the play area 5a due to a design change or the like, this can be easily accommodated by simply changing the mounting positions of the divided frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, without having to redesign the entire center frame 2700, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high degree of design freedom.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the center frame 2700 in the center role device 2500A is divided into multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702. Therefore, when partially changing the design of the center role device 2500A, the center role device 2500A can be easily changed to the desired design by changing only the frame corresponding to the part to be changed. This reduces the cost of model changes and provides a pachinko machine 1 that can easily accommodate model changes.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 is divided into multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, circumferentially around the frame. Therefore, by changing the mounting position of each frame relative to the gaming panel, the size of the gaming area 5a can be easily changed without having to redesign the entire center frame 2700, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 of the center role device 2500A is divided into multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, circumferentially around the frame. Therefore, when a malfunction occurs in the symbol display device 2518, second starting port unit 2720, or attacca unit 2730 provided in the center role device 2500A, it is possible to remove only the frame in which the malfunctioning unit is provided, without having to remove the entire center frame 2700 from the gaming panel 1100, thereby simplifying the effort required for maintenance work.

[12-3b. Connection holding part]
The connecting and holding portion 2710 connects adjacent frames in each frame of the center frame 2700, which is divided into multiple frames such as a first frame 2701 and a second frame 2702 in the circumferential direction of the frame.

Incidentally, as described above, the center frame 2700 of this embodiment is configured to be divided into multiple frames circumferentially, which raises the risk of some frames falling and being damaged during assembly, maintenance, and other detachment work. In response to this, this embodiment provides a connecting retainer 2710 that connects adjacent frames. As shown in Figures 160 to 162, the connecting retainer 2710 is formed from a flexible, linear (string-like) member. From the perspective of fall protection, it is desirable that the length of this connecting retainer 2710 not reach the bottom edge of the gaming board 5 when the center frame 2700 is removed while the gaming board 5 is upright.

In this embodiment, the connecting and holding portion 2710 uses a decorative ball chain. This allows the connecting and holding portion 2710 to be visible, but its decorative nature allows it to double as decoration, so the overall appearance of the game board 5 is not marred.

For example, between the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, one end of the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is detachably attached to the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701, and the other end is detachably attached to the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702. The connecting and retaining portion 2710 is attached in a similar manner between the other frames.

Figures 160 to 162 show the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, and the second frame 2702 and the fifth frame 2705 connected by connecting and holding parts 2710, but the third frame 2703 and the fourth frame 2704, and the fourth frame 2704 and the fifth frame 2705 are also connected by similar connecting and holding parts 2710.

This connecting and retaining portion 2710 connects adjacent frames together among the multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and second frame 2702, that make up the center frame 2700. Therefore, even if one frame is removed during installation or removal, the removed frame will not fall onto a workbench or floor, preventing damage to the frame due to a fall.

In the above embodiment, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is shown as being decorative, but this is not limiting and it may be non-decorative. In this case, it is desirable to provide the connecting and retaining portion 2710 in a location that is difficult to see from the front, hidden by the center frame 2700 or decorative body, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the connecting and holding portion 2710 is shown to be visible to the player, but this is not limited to this, and it may be completely invisible to the player under normal conditions. In other words, if the connecting and holding portion 2710 is located in a part of the center frame 2700 that is not visible to the player, it will not be visible to the player under normal conditions, such as during play.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows a configuration in which all adjacent frames are connected by the connecting and retaining portions 2710, this is not limited to this. Frames that do not need to be removed from the gaming panel 1100 for maintenance, etc., do not need to be connected to adjacent frames by the connecting and retaining portions 2710. For example, the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 do not have any movable parts and therefore do not require maintenance, and are light in weight and therefore not susceptible to damage even if dropped, so they do not need to be connected. Conversely, the third frame 2703 to the fifth frame 2705 have movable parts and are heavy in weight, which increases the need for connection. Therefore, it is preferable to simplify the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 by not connecting them, and to detachably connect the third frame 2703 to the fifth frame 2705 to other sturdy members on the back of the gaming board 5 (gaming panel 1100) rather than to other frames.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, multiple connecting and retaining portions 2710 may be provided. In this case, it is desirable to bundle multiple connecting and retaining portions 2710 together to prevent the connecting and retaining portions 2710 from becoming entangled with the obstructing nails and bending them during manufacturing or maintenance, etc.

Furthermore, if multiple connecting and retaining portions 2710 are provided and connected to multiple locations on the back of the gaming board 5 (gaming panel 1100), it becomes possible to maintain the position of the center frame 2700 (each frame) even when the mounting screws attaching the center frame 2700 to the gaming panel 1100 are removed. This eliminates the need to support the center frame 2700 during manufacturing and maintenance, improving workability.

In this way, according to this embodiment, the center frame 2700 is divided into multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, circumferentially, and adjacent frames are connected to each other by the connecting and retaining portions 2710. Therefore, even if some of the frames detach from the gaming panel 1100 and attempt to fall by removing the mounting screws attached to the gaming panel 1100 during assembly or maintenance, the detached frames are connected to the other frames by the flexible, string-like connecting and retaining portions 2710, which act like a lifeline, allowing the detached frames to hang down. This prevents the detached frames from falling onto a workbench, floor, etc., and prevents them from being damaged.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the connecting and holding portion 2710 is detachably attached to the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, the second inflow restriction portion 2702a, etc., so that by removing the attachment portion of the connecting and holding portion 2710 from the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, etc., the first frame 2701, etc. can be removed individually from the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, adjacent frames are connected to each other by a flexible, string-like connecting and holding portion 2710. Therefore, even if the position of the second frame 2702 relative to the first frame 2701 is changed due to a design change or the like, the connecting and holding portion 2710 can deform and follow the change, thereby accommodating the change in position, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high degree of design freedom.

For example, as shown in FIG. 163(a), when the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 are attached to the gaming panel 1100 so that a gap C is formed between the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 that connects (joins) the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a may be made to function as a restriction portion that prevents the gaming ball B from passing through the gap C.

[13. Details of the side unit on the game board]
Next, we will explain in detail the side unit 2200 provided on the above-mentioned game board 5. The side unit 2200 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 that is always open to receive game balls B.

Although not shown in detail, the side unit 2200 comprises multiple ball receiving sections that form the general winning opening 2001 and sub-outlet opening 2021, have a U-shaped cross section, extend slightly forward and backward, and are lined up in the left-right direction, open upward and backward; a shelf section 2201 that is the same length as the ball receiving sections and extends shortly forward and backward in a frame-like manner, located to the right of the rightmost ball receiving section when viewed from the front; a flat front plate connecting the front ends of the multiple ball receiving sections and shelf sections; flange sections that extend flatly outward in the left-right direction from the rear ends of the leftmost ball receiving section and shelf section 2201 when viewed from the front; and trough sections that extend trough-like rearward from the rear ends of each ball receiving section.

The side unit 2200 also has two positioning protrusions protruding rearward from the flange portion and two mounting holes penetrating the flange portion. The positioning protrusions are inserted into positioning holes 1113 (see Figure 165) in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 to position the side unit 2200 relative to the panel plate 1110. The mounting holes are used to attach the side unit 2200 to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 by inserting mounting screws from the front and screwing them into mounting holes 1114 (see Figure 165) in the panel plate 1110 with the flange portion abutting the front surface of the panel plate 1110.

When the side unit 2200 is assembled to the gaming board 5, multiple ball receiving sections, namely the three general winning openings 2001 and one sub-out opening 2021, protrude forward from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, the rear end of the gutter section extending rearward from the ball receiving section is located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and does not protrude rearward from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110.

This side unit 2200 guides the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section) to the rear of the game panel 1100 using the gutter section, and hands it over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. The game ball B handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 is then detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and discharged downward. On the other hand, the game ball B received in the sub-out opening 2021 is handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, as described above, and discharged to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

This side unit 2200 has a flat front plate connecting the front ends of each of the multiple ball receiving sections, each with a U-shaped cross section, to the front end of the shelf section 2201, which has a frame-shaped cross section. This provides greater rigidity than conventional side units, in which multiple ball receiving sections protrude forward from a flat base plate. Therefore, when disassembling a pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, the side unit 2200 will not bend when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2200 to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2200 is pulled forward, due to the increased rigidity of the side unit 2200. This prevents the positioning protrusions of the side unit 2200 from tilting relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2200 to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110). This provides a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly required for sorting.

In addition, a portion of the front panel of the side unit 2200 protrudes above the shelf portion 2201 at the front end of the shelf portion 2201. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1, the worker can hook their fingers on the protruding portion of the shelf portion and easily pull the side unit 2200 forward, improving the workability of the disassembly work.

In addition, when the side unit 2200 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the flat base plate blocks the opening 1112 from the front, preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the gaming area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

[13-1. Side unit of second embodiment]
Next, the side unit 2800 of the second embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 164 to 166. Figure 164(a) is a front view showing the main parts of a gaming board equipped with a side unit of the second embodiment, and Figure 164(b) is a perspective view of Figure 164(a) viewed from the front. Figure 165(a) is an exploded perspective view of the side unit disassembled from the gaming panel on the gaming board of Figure 164, Figure 165(b) is an exploded perspective view of the side unit disassembled from the front of Figure 164(a), Figure 165(c) is an exploded perspective view of the side unit viewed from the rear of Figure 165(b), and Figure 166 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the gaming panel and the side unit in a vertical cross section. Figure 166 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the side unit and the gaming panel in a horizontal cross section.

In the gaming board 5 equipped with the side unit 2800 of this embodiment, parts with the same configuration as the gaming board 5 shown in Figure 96 are given the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted.

The side unit 2800 of the second embodiment extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The side unit 2800 has three general winning ports 2001 that are always open and can receive the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 165, etc., the side unit 2800 is composed of a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 in which the obstacle nails of the gaming panel 1100 are planted, and a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811. In this embodiment, the side unit 2800 has the second component 2812 attached to the rear of the first component 2811.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and multiple ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001.

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. The three ball receiving portions 2811b are spaced apart from each other on the left and right, and are positioned further downward than the rightmost ball receiving portion 2811b. The leftmost ball receiving portion 2811b has a front end surface that is parallel to the base plate 2811a all the way to the bottom. The remaining ball receiving portions 2811b (center and rightmost) are inclined so that their front end surfaces move further rearward as they approach the bottom.

The first component 2811 also has two positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple (three in this case) mounting holes 2811d penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear end surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b (base plate 2811a) for mounting the second component 2812.

The two positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, the two positioning protrusions 2811c are the same length.

The three mounting holes 2811d are provided near the positioning protrusion 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

The mounting hole is intended to receive a mounting screw inserted into a mounting hole (not shown) in the second component 2812, which will be described later.

The second component 2812 is formed in the shape of a container that is open to the front, and has a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a passage outlet 2812b that opens toward the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811.

As shown in Figures 165(d) and 166, the second component 2812 of this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110. Note that Figure 165(d) shows a cut at the ball receiving portion 2811b in the center in the left-right direction.

The spherical passage 2812a of the second component 2812 is formed so as to follow the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000 and to become lower toward the right along the surface of the panel board 1110. The passage outlet 2812b opens toward the rear at the right end of the second component 2812, which is the downstream end of the spherical passage 2812a.

The mounting holes of the second component 2812 are located at positions corresponding to the mounting holes of the first component 2811. By inserting mounting screws from the rear through the mounting holes of the second component 2812 and screwing them into the mounting holes of the first component 2811, the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in Figure 166, the side unit 2800 of this embodiment has a branch section 2801 (shown in lightly shaded areas in Figure 166) that communicates with the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 (shown in darkly shaded areas in Figure 166) that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is made up of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The branch section 2801 extends rearward from a position forward of the front face of the panel plate 1110 to a position (within the thickness of the panel plate 1110) behind the front face of the panel plate 1110 and above the main section 2802.

The main flow section 2802 extends along the surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, from near the left end to near the right end of the base plate 2811a, lowering to the right. The length of the main flow section 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the gaming ball B (8 to 10 times in this embodiment).

The side unit 2800 of this embodiment is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811 and threading mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through the mounting holes in the second component 2812 and into the mounting holes in the first component 2811. This completes the construction of the side unit 2800, in which the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in the figure, the ball passage 2812a of the second component 2812 is open to the front, but when the first component 2811 is attached to the front to construct the side unit 2800, the front end of the ball passage 2812a is closed by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811, so that game balls B do not spill forward from the ball passage 2812a. In other words, the ball passage 2812a is formed by the first component 2811 and the second component 2812. In other words, the ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812.

This side unit 2800 abuts the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is aligned with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

The side unit 2800 is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, screwing the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

When the side unit 2800 is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 (when the gaming board 5 is assembled), the second component 2812 is located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and is located forward of the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In other words, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the side unit 2800 does not protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, making it possible to ensure ample space behind the panel plate 1110.

In this embodiment, the side unit 2800 and panel board 1110 are formed from transparent synthetic resin, and the decoration of the performance unit located behind the panel board 1110 can be seen from the front through the side unit 2800, etc. Here, a back-bottom performance unit 3500 is provided behind the side unit 2800, which has a back-bottom movable decoration 3510 that can rise and fall according to the progress of the game. This back-bottom movable decoration 3510 is arranged to be able to rise and fall between a standby position in which most of its entirety is located below the frame of the center role device 2500, and an application position in which it rises from the standby position and is located within the frame of the center role device 2500. When the back-bottom movable decoration 3510 is in the lowered standby position, it can be seen from the front through the transparent side unit 2800 and panel board 1110.

In the side unit 2800, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812a behind the front of the panel board 1110, and after flowing down along the surface of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, it is handed over from the passage exit 2812b to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located behind. After being handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100, the game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the passage exit 2812b of the second component 2812 is located below the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general winning opening sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b), is located below the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800, general winning opening sensor 3001, etc. do not interfere with the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510.

In addition, in this embodiment, the general winning slot sensor 3001 is not provided in the side unit 2800, but is provided in the back unit 3000 (back ball guide unit 3100). In other words, the side unit 2800 has a wire-free structure. In this way, for the various units attached to the front side of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, electronic components such as ball sensors, magnetic sensors, and other sensors that require wiring are provided in the back unit 3000. By providing the units with wiring, when the mounting screws attached to the panel board 1110 are removed and the units are pulled forward, the units are connected by wiring through the openings 1112 in the panel board 1110. This eliminates the need to cut wiring or unplug the connectors, and the units can be removed forward from the panel board 1110 without worrying about wiring, allowing for efficient disassembly.

According to the side unit 2800 of this embodiment, a flat base plate 2811a is provided on the first component member 2811. By screwing a mounting screw into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 via the mounting hole 2811d that passes through the base plate 2811a and attaching the first component member 2811 to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the base plate 2811a can block the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 from the front side, making it possible to hide the rear of the panel plate 1110 (gaming panel 1100) from the front side (player side) through the opening 1112, thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (gaming board 5). On the other hand, the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110, and since the cross section of the ball passage 2812a is U-shaped, the presence of the ball passage 2812a can increase the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, since the base plate 2811a is flat, the rigidity of the first component 2811 may be reduced, but since the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811 with mounting screws through its mounting holes to form the side unit 2800, the rigidity of the side unit 2800 can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws that are threaded into the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 via the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are removed and the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 does not bend due to the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800, and the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800 (first component 2811) do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

However, since the two positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are arranged so that they are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811, when the first component 2811 is pulled forward during disassembly, the center of the first component 2811 bends in a curved shape so that it moves forward.This bending creates a force that tilts each of the positioning protrusions 2811c so that the tips of the positioning protrusions 2811c, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, move closer to each other, which may prevent the positioning protrusions 2811c from being removed from the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100. However, in this embodiment, as described above, the side unit 2800 is formed by attaching the second component 2812 to the rear side of the first component 2811, and the rigidity of the side unit 2800 is increased. Therefore, even if the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 does not bend and the positioning protrusions 2811c, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, do not tilt. This means that the side unit 2800 can be easily removed from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Furthermore, since the multiple ball receiving portions 2811b protrude forward from the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, when the side unit 2800 is pulled forward to remove it from the panel plate 1110 during disassembly of the pachinko machine 1, the ball receiving portions 2811b can be grasped and pulled, making it easier to remove the side unit 2800.

In addition, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the gaming area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

In addition, because the second component 2812 is attached to the rear of the first component 2811 with mounting screws via mounting holes (not shown), the mounting screws that attach the second component 2812 are less visible from the front, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5).

In addition, a ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812, protruding into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. This allows game balls B that enter the ball receiving portion 2811b (general winning opening 2001) to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the thickness of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) and more easily secure empty space behind the panel plate 1110, compared to conventional side units that guide game balls B that enter the general winning opening 2001 behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 and provide a ball passage behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 to allow them to flow downward. This makes it possible to install an effect device such as a back-under effect unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510) in this empty space, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, the two positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811. Therefore, when the side unit 2800 is attached to the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the side unit 2800 does not rotate along the surface of the panel board 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel 1100.

In the above embodiment, the gaming panel 1100 is shown equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, but this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the board thickness is greater than that of a resin panel, making it easier to more effectively utilize the internal thickness of the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800 is shown as having a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2812c, and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 join, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2811b may have its own independent ball passage 2812a.

Furthermore, while the above side unit 2800 does not include a ball sensor to detect the game ball B received in the ball receiving portion 2811b, this is not limited to this and the side unit 2800 may include a ball sensor. If the side unit 2800 includes a ball sensor, it is desirable to locate the ball sensor within the thickness of the panel board 1110 or to locate the ball sensor below the rear performance device (below-back performance unit 3500).

In addition, while the above side unit 2800 does not have an LED board on the rear side, this is not limited to this and LEDs for decorative illumination may also be provided. If the side unit 2800 is provided with an LED board, it is desirable to provide a unit cover that covers the LED board from the rear and whose front end face abuts the rear face of the side unit 2800 (second component 2812), and to provide a non-contact surface portion where the unit cover and side unit are in contact with each other. This allows the LEDs on the LED board to decorate the side unit 2800 and also allows heat from the LEDs to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion.

[13-2. Modified examples of side units]
Next, various modifications of the side unit 2800 of the above embodiment will be described in detail.

[13-2a. Modification 1 of the side unit]
Next, a side unit 2800A having a different configuration from the side unit 2800 shown in Fig. 164 etc. will be described mainly with reference to Fig. 167 etc. Fig. 167 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of a side unit having a different configuration from the side unit in Fig. 164 together with a game panel. Here, the same components as those in the above-described side unit 2800 will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800A extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open to receive the game ball B.

The side unit 2800A is composed of a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, on which the obstacle nails are planted, and a second component 2813 provided behind the first component 2811.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800A has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and multiple ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001. The first component 2811 also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c that protrude rearward from the base plate 2811a, and multiple mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a and are used to mount the unit to the gaming panel 1100 (see Figure 165).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 formed in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are formed near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110, the head of the mounting screw does not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the base plate 2811a and the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811.

The second component 2813 of the side unit 2800A has a ball passage 2813a through which a game ball B that has entered the ball receiving portion 2811b (general winning port 2001) of the first component 2811 can flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 within an opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 so that the game ball B is within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, and a ball sensor 2813b that detects the game ball B flowing through the ball passage 2813a.

The second component 2813 may be composed of a single component, or may be composed of a combination of multiple components.

As shown in the figure, this spherical passage 2813a is placed near the lower end of the opening 1112 and bends backward, then bends downward to follow the rear surface of the panel board 1110, with its downstream end extending below the opening 1112. In other words, the spherical passage 2813a bends backward at a location below the rear-bottom performance unit 3500 (rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510) located at the rear. This allows sufficient space to be secured for the rear-bottom performance unit 3500, and makes it possible to widen the range of movement (lifting and lowering range) of the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 or to make the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 larger.

Ball sensor 2813b is located in a section extending along the rear surface of panel board 1110 in ball passage 2813a. In other words, ball sensor 2813b is located below the back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510) located at the rear of ball passage 2813a, and does not interfere with the back-under movable decorative body 3510.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800A is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 by abutting the base plate 2811a against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 from the front of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the corresponding opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110, and inserting the multiple positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a into the positioning holes 1113 in the panel plate 1110. Then, mounting screws are threaded into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 via the mounting holes 2811d and tightened.

On the other hand, the second component 2813 of the side unit 2800A is attached to the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000. Although not shown, when the second component 2813 is attached to the rear unit 3000, a portion of the ball passage 2813a (the portion housed within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110) protrudes forward beyond the rear box 3010.

When the rear unit 3000 is attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100, the portion of the second component 2813 that protrudes forward beyond the rear box 3010 is inserted from the rear into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and this portion is positioned behind the first component 2811, thereby forming the side unit 2800A.

When this side unit 2800A is assembled to the gaming board 5, the rear surface of the portion of the ball passage 2813a of the second component 2813 that is within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110. The amount of this protrusion TL is set to be 1/2 or less of the diameter D of the gaming ball B.

However, when the gaming panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the portion of the gaming area 5a where the obstacle nails are implanted tends to be thinner than when the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is made of wooden plywood or machined from a resin board. As a result, there is a risk that the portion of the ball passage 2813a of the second component 2813 that is aligned with the surface of the panel board 1110 will not be able to fit within the thickness of the panel board 1110 and will protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110. Furthermore, if the second component 2813 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110 by a large amount, it will be impossible to secure sufficient space behind. In contrast, in this embodiment, the amount of protrusion TL from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 at the ball passage 2813a portion of the second component 2813 is less than half the diameter D of the game ball B, ensuring sufficient space at the rear and allowing the installation of a desired size of back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510).

In the side unit 2800A, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811 that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2813a behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and then handed over to the ball passage 2813a of the second component 2813. The game ball B handed over to the ball passage 2813a of the second component 2813 first flows down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 so as to be within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, then flows behind the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 near the lower end of the opening 1112, and then flows downward along the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. The game ball B is then detected by the ball sensor 2813b and discharged downward from an exit (not shown).

The side unit 2800A of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

Furthermore, with the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 equipped with the ball sensor 2813b is attached to the back unit 3000 located behind the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), and therefore the ball sensor 2813b is not provided on the first component 2811 attached to the panel board 1110. Therefore, electronic components such as the ball sensor 2813b are integrated into the back unit 3000, and the wiring from the ball sensor 2813b does not extend from the gaming panel 1100 side. Therefore, when assembling the gaming panel 1100 and the back unit 3000 in the manufacture of the gaming board 5, the wiring from the ball sensor 2813b will not get caught on obstructing nails, etc., which prevents the wiring from being cut due to catching and improves the workability of the assembly process.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800A is assembled to the gaming board 5, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, thereby preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

The side unit 2800A may be configured to have an independent ball passage 2813a for each ball receiving section 2811b, or, similar to the ball passage 2812a of the side unit 2800, a single ball passage 2813a may be provided downstream of the ball receiving section 2811b to allow the game balls B that enter each ball receiving section 2811b to merge.

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to the rear unit 3000, but this is not limited to this, and the second component 2813 may also be attached to the rear side of the first component 2811.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the gaming panel 1100 is shown to have a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, but this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the board thickness is greater than that of a resin panel, making it easier to more effectively utilize the board thickness of the gaming panel 1100.

[13-2b. Modification 2 of Side Unit]
Next, side unit 2800B, which has a different configuration from side unit 2800 and side unit 2800A described above, will be described mainly with reference to Figure 168. Figure 168(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of a side unit with a different configuration from the side unit shown in Figure 166, together with a gaming panel, and Figure 168(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a perspective view of the main parts of the LED board and board cover of the side unit in Figure 168(a). Here, the same components as those in side unit 2800 described above will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800B extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving the game ball B.

The side unit 2800B comprises a unit body 2810 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on which the obstacle nails of the gaming panel 1100 are planted, a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810, and an LED board 2825 mounted between the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 and on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810 and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800B are formed from a transparent synthetic resin.

The side unit 2800B also has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 that is provided on part of the contact surface portion 2830 and does not contact each other.

The unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B has a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on which the pegs are planted, a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811, and a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like manner along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end face of which abuts the front end face of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811. Also, in this embodiment, the support frame 2814 protrudes from the rear face of the second component 2812.

The first component 2811 of the unit body 2810 has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and multiple ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001. The first component 2811 also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c that protrude rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) on the rear end surface of the base plate 2811a for mounting the second component 2812 (see Figure 165).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 formed in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are formed near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110, the head of the mounting screw does not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the base plate 2811a and the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811.

The second component 2812 is formed in the shape of a container that is open to the front, and has a ball passage 2812a that allows game balls B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a passage outlet (not shown) that opens toward the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, multiple mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811, and a mounting hole (not shown) on the rear surface for attaching the unit cover 2820.

A support frame 2814 is provided on the rear side of this second component 2812, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the second component 2812 has a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, and whose rear end surface abuts against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. When assembled to the side unit 2800B, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 abuts against the front end surface of a peripheral wall 2820b (described below) of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b form the contact surface 2830.

The support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830) of the second component 2812 is located above the passage outlet (not shown), which is the outlet of the spherical passage 2812a. In other words, the passage outlet of the second component 2812 is located below the support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830).

The unit main body 2810 is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811 and threading mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through mounting holes in the second component 2812 and into mounting holes in the first component 2811. This completes the unit main body 2810, with the second component 2812 attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in FIG. 168, the second component 2812 of this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800B is formed in the shape of a shallow container that is open to the front, and houses an LED board 2825 inside. As shown in Figure 168, this unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch 2820c that is recessed from the front end of a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. The cover portion 2820a may also be provided with multiple slits for ventilation.

The unit cover 2820 also has multiple bosses 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a and are shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, and are used to attach the LED board 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a and through which mounting screws are inserted to attach the unit to the unit body 2810.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is formed to be large enough to cover the LED board 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810. When assembled to the side unit 2800B, the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b abuts against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b form the contact surface portion 2830.

The cutouts 2820c are provided on the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall 2820b. When assembled to the side unit 2800B, the cutouts 2820c form a gap between the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810. In other words, the cutouts 2820c form a non-contact surface 2831 in part of the contact surface 2830 formed by the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b, which do not come into contact with each other. The cutouts 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 attached inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800B is attached to the inside of the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface abutting the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800B, the side unit 2800B can be decorated with illumination in a variety of colors.

This side unit 2800B can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, abutting (contacting) the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the unit cover 2820 through the mounting holes in the unit cover 2820 into the mounting holes in the second component member 2812 of the unit main body 2810 and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800B to the gaming panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 is abutted against the front surface of the panel board 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel board 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110. In this state, the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are aligned with the mounting holes 1114 of the panel board 1110.

The side unit 2800B is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, screwing the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800B, the second component 2812 of the unit main body 2810 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2812a in the second component 2812 is U-shaped, and the presence of the ball passage 2812a increases the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, the side unit 2800B is formed by attaching the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, from the rear side of the first component 2811 to the first component 2811, which may have reduced rigidity due to the flat base plate 2811a. Therefore, the rigidity of the side unit 2800B can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800B to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800B is pulled forward, the side unit 2800B does not bend because of the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800B. As a result, the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800B (first component member 2811) do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2800B to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800B is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 (when the game board 5 is assembled), the second component 2812 of the unit body 2810 is located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and is located forward of the rear surface of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800B of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit cover 2820 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, and a portion of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) of the unit cover 2820 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In this case, because the cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) are provided on the top and bottom, the upper cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be discharged upward, while the lower cutout 2820c allows outside air to be drawn in through the upper cutout 2820c. Furthermore, when assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, i.e., the outer periphery of the second component 2812, and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. This makes it easier for heat from the LED board 2825 to be released to the outside through the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800B of this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is located rearward of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831). In other words, the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to get onto the LED board 2825, even if it enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2820c, thereby minimizing the effects of the dust and dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2820c is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2820c can be discharged downward through the lower cutout 2820c.

In addition, when the side unit 2800B of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, thereby preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800B is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear side of the second component 2813 of the unit main body 2810 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110. The amount of this protrusion is less than half the diameter D of the gaming ball B, similar to the side unit 2800A in Figure 167.

When the gaming panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the portion of the gaming area 5a where the obstacle nails are implanted tends to be thinner than when the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is made of wooden plywood or machined from a resin board. As a result, there is a risk that the portion of the ball passage 2812a of the unit main body 2810 that is aligned with the surface of the panel board 1110, and the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear of the unit main body 2810, will not be able to fit within the thickness of the panel board 1110 and will protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110. Furthermore, if the side unit 2800B protrudes rearward by a large amount beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110, it will be impossible to secure sufficient space behind it. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the portion of the side unit 2800B that is within the thickness of the panel board 1110 in the ball passage 2813a and extends along the surface of the panel board 1110 protrudes from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 by less than half the diameter D of the game ball B, ensuring sufficient space at the rear and allowing the installation of a desired size of back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510).

In the side unit 2800B, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812a behind the front of the panel board 1110, and after flowing down along the surface of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, it is handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located at the rear from a passage exit not shown. The game ball B handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

In the side unit 2800B of this embodiment, detailed illustrations are omitted, but the passage exit (not shown) of the second component 2812 in the unit main body 2810 is located below the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general winning opening sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b), is located below the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800B, general winning opening sensor 3001, etc. do not interfere with the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510.

Detailed illustrations of the side unit 2800B of this embodiment are omitted, but the unit body 2810 is the same as the side unit 2800 in Figure 165, and has a branch section 2801 that communicates with the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is made up of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The side unit 2800B of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800B, the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 is provided with a cutout 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a cutout (non-contact surface 2831) cut from the rear end forward in the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810 without providing a cutout 2820c in the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Alternatively, cutouts (non-contact surface) may be provided in both the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810.

In addition, in the above-described side unit 2800B, the unit main body 2810 is provided with a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward, with the rear end surface serving as the contact surface portion 2830. However, this is not limited to this. The unit main body 2810 may not be provided with a support frame portion 2814, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may abut against the rear surface of the unit main body 2810, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. In this way, because the support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward is not provided, the amount of protrusion rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 in the side unit 2800B can be reduced, making it possible to secure more free space behind the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800B, the LED board 2825 is shown attached to the unit cover 2820, but this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may also be attached to the rear side of the unit main body 2810 (second component 2812).

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned side unit 2800B, a diffusion lens section consisting of multiple concave and convex portions that diffuses light from the LEDs 2825a may be provided in front of the LED board 2825. This diffusion lens section may be provided on the rear surface of the unit main body 2810 (second component member 2812), or may be provided on a component separate from the unit main body 2810.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800B is shown as having a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2811b and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 join, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2811b may have its own independent ball passage 2812a.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the gaming panel 1100 equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the panel is thicker than a resin one, making it easier to more effectively utilize the thickness of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) were made transparent, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 would enter the panel board 1110 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and be diffused within the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the illumination effect. In contrast, by making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the light emission.

[13-2c. Modification 3 of Side Unit]
Next, a side unit 2800C having a different configuration from the above will be described mainly with reference to Figure 169 etc. Figure 169 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of a side unit having a different configuration from the side unit shown in Figure 168 together with a gaming panel. Here, the same components as those of the above side unit 2800B will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800C extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving the game ball B.

The side unit 2800C comprises a unit body 2810 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on which the obstacle nails of the gaming panel 1100 are planted, a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810, and an LED board 2825 mounted between the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 and on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810 and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800B are formed from a transparent synthetic resin.

The side unit 2800C also has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 that is provided on part of the contact surface portion 2830 and does not contact each other.

The unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B includes a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on which the obstacle nails of the gaming panel 1100 are installed; a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811; a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like manner along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820 and whose rear end face abuts the front end face of the unit cover 2820; and a ball sensor 2815 (general winning opening sensor 3001) that is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812 and detects a gaming ball B received in the general winning opening 2001. In this embodiment, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811. Also, in this embodiment, the support frame 2814 protrudes from the rear face of the second component 2812.

The first component 2811 of the unit body 2810 has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and multiple ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001. The first component 2811 also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c that protrude rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) on the rear end surface of the base plate 2811a for mounting the second component 2812 (see Figure 165).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 formed in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are formed near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110, the head of the mounting screw does not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the base plate 2811a and the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811.

The second component 2812 is formed in the shape of a container that is open to the front, and has a ball passage 2812a that allows game balls B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a passage outlet 2812b that opens toward the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, multiple mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811, and a mounting hole (not shown) on the rear surface for attaching the unit cover 2820.

This second component 2812 has a support frame 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the second component 2812 has a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end surface of which abuts against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. When assembled to the side unit 2800C, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b (described below) of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b form the contact surface 2830.

The support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830) of the second component 2812 is located above the passage exit 2812b of the bulb passage 2812a and the bulb sensor 2815. In other words, the passage exit 2812b and bulb sensor 2815 of the second component 2812 are located below the support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830). This prevents the bulb sensor 2815 from interfering with the decorative illumination provided by the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825.

The unit main body 2810 is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811 and threading mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through mounting holes in the second component 2812 and into mounting holes in the first component 2811. At this time, the ball sensor 2815 is placed and assembled in a predetermined position in the ball passage 2812a so that it is sandwiched between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812. This completes the unit main body 2810, with the second component 2812 attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in FIG. 169, the second component 2812 in this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800C is formed in the shape of a shallow container that is open to the front, and houses an LED board 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch 2820c that is recessed from the front end of a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. The cover portion 2820a may also be provided with multiple slits for ventilation.

The unit cover 2820 also has multiple bosses 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a and are shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, and are used to attach the LED board 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a and through which mounting screws are inserted to attach the unit to the unit body 2810.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is formed to be large enough to cover the LED board 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810. When assembled to the side unit 2800C, the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b abuts against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b form the contact surface portion 2830.

The cutouts 2820c are provided on the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall 2820b. When assembled to the side unit 2800C, the cutouts 2820c form a gap between the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810. In other words, the cutouts 2820c form a non-contact surface 2831 in part of the contact surface 2830 formed by the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b, which do not come into contact with each other. The cutouts 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 attached inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800C is attached to the inside of the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface abutting the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800C, the side unit 2800C can be decorated with illumination in a variety of colors.

This side unit 2800C can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, abutting (contacting) the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the unit cover 2820 through the mounting holes in the unit cover 2820 into the mounting holes in the second component member 2812 of the unit main body 2810 and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800C to the gaming panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 is abutted against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are aligned with the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

The side unit 2800C is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, screwing the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800C, the second component 2812 of the unit main body 2810 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2812a in the second component 2812 is U-shaped, and the presence of the ball passage 2812a increases the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, the side unit 2800C is formed by attaching the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, from the rear side of the first component 2811 to the first component 2811, which may have reduced rigidity due to the flat base plate 2811a. Therefore, the rigidity of the side unit 2800C can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800C to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800C is pulled forward, the side unit 2800C does not bend because of the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800C. As a result, the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800C (first component member 2811) do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2800C to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800C is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 (when the game board 5 is assembled), the second component 2812 and ball sensor 2815 of the unit main body 2810 are located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and are located forward of the rear surface of the panel plate 1110.

In addition, when the side unit 2800C of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit cover 2820 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, and a portion of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) of the unit cover 2820 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In this case, because the cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) are provided on the top and bottom, the upper cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be discharged upward, while the lower cutout 2820c allows outside air to be drawn in through the upper cutout 2820c. Furthermore, when assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800C that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, i.e., the outer periphery of the second component 2812, and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. This makes it easier for heat from the LED board 2825 to be released to the outside through the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800C of this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is located rearward of the notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831). In other words, the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to get onto the LED board 2825, even if it enters the unit cover 2820 through the notch 2820c, thereby minimizing the effects of the dust and dirt. Furthermore, because a notch 2820c is also provided on the lower side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper notch 2820c can be discharged downward through the lower notch 2820c.

In addition, when the side unit 2800C of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, thereby preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800C is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear side of the second component 2813 of the unit main body 2810 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110. The amount of this protrusion is less than half the diameter D of the gaming ball B, similar to the side unit 2800A in Figure 167.

When the gaming panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the portion of the gaming area 5a where the obstacle nails are implanted tends to be thinner than when the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is made of wooden plywood or machined from a resin board. This means that the portion of the ball passage 2812a of the unit main body 2810 that is aligned with the surface of the panel board 1110, and the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear of the unit main body 2810, may not fit within the thickness of the panel board 1110 and may protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110. Furthermore, if the side unit 2800C protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110 by a large amount, it will be impossible to secure sufficient space behind it. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, in the side unit 2800C, the portion of the ball passage 2813a that is within the thickness of the panel board 1110 and extends along the surface of the panel board 1110 protrudes from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 by less than half the diameter D of the game ball B, so sufficient space can be secured at the rear, and a back-bottom performance unit 3500 (back-bottom movable decorative body 3510) of the desired size can be installed.

In the side unit 2800C, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b forming the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812a behind the front of the panel board 1110, and flows down along the surface of the panel board 1110 within the thickness of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, is detected by the ball sensor 2815, and is then discharged from the passage exit 2812b which opens to the rear.

In the side unit 2800C of this embodiment, detailed illustrations are omitted, but the passage outlet 2812b of the second component 2812 in the unit main body 2810 is located below the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In addition, a ball sensor 2815 (general winning port sensor 3001) that detects game balls B received in the general winning port 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) is located within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100 and within the thickness of the panel board 1110. Therefore, the side unit 2800C, ball sensor 2815, etc. do not interfere with the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510.

Detailed illustrations of the side unit 2800C of this embodiment are omitted, but the unit body 2810 is the same as the side unit 2800 in Figure 165, and it has a branch section 2801 that communicates with the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is made up of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The side unit 2800C of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800C, the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 is provided with a notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a notch (non-contact surface 2831) cut out from the rear end to the front in the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810 without providing a notch 2820c in the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surface) may be provided in both the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810.

In addition, in the above-described side unit 2800C, the unit main body 2810 is provided with a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward, with the rear end surface serving as the contact surface portion 2830. However, this is not limited to this. The unit main body 2810 may not be provided with a support frame portion 2814, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may abut against the rear surface of the unit main body 2810, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. In this way, because the support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward is not provided, the amount of protrusion rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 in the side unit 2800C can be reduced, making it possible to secure more free space behind the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800C, the LED board 2825 is shown attached to the unit cover 2820, but this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may also be attached to the rear side of the unit main body 2810 (second component 2812).

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned side unit 2800C, a diffusion lens section consisting of multiple concave and convex portions that diffuses light from the LEDs 2825a may be provided in front of the LED board 2825. This diffusion lens section may be provided on the rear surface of the unit main body 2810 (second component member 2812), or may be provided on a component separate from the unit main body 2810.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800C is shown as having a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2811b and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 converge, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2811b may have its own independent ball passage 2812a.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the gaming panel 1100 equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the panel is thicker than a resin one, making it easier to more effectively utilize the thickness of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) were made transparent, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 would enter the panel board 1110 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and be diffused within the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the illumination effect. In contrast, by making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the light emission.

[13-2d. Side unit modification 4]
Next, a side unit 2800D having a configuration different from that described above will be described mainly with reference to Figure 170 etc. Figure 170 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of this side unit together with the game panel. Here, the same components as those of the above-described side unit 2800, side unit 2800B and side unit 2800C will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800D extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player shoots the game ball B by operating the handle 160, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving the game ball B.

The side unit 2800D comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on which the obstacle nails are planted, a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810A, and an LED board 2825 mounted with multiple LEDs 2825a and located between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820. The unit body 2810A and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800D are made of transparent synthetic resin.

The side unit 2800D also has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 that is provided on part of the contact surface portion 2830 and does not contact each other.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800D has a first component 2811A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on which the pegs are planted, a second component 2812A attached from the rear to the first component 2811A, and a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like manner along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end face of which abuts the front end face of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812A is attached to the front side of the first component 2811A. The support frame 2814 also protrudes from the rear face of the first component 2811A.

The first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), and a ball passage 2811e that penetrates the base plate 2811a and allows the flow of gaming ball B. The upstream end of the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A is located behind the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A, which will be described later.

The first component 2811A also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple mounting holes 2811d penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, multiple mounting holes (not shown) penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting the second component 2812A, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) on the rear surface for mounting the unit cover 2820 (see Figure 165).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 formed in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are formed near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110, the head of the mounting screw does not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

This first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end surface of which abuts against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The support frame 2814 is provided below the spherical passage 2811e on the rear surface of the base plate 2811a. When assembled to the side unit 2800D, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b (described later) of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b form the contact surface 2830.

The second component 2812A has multiple ball receiving sections 2812c that extend slightly in the front-to-rear direction and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001, a flat front plate 2812d that connects the front ends of the multiple ball receiving sections 2812c, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) for mounting to the first component 2811A. The ball receiving sections 2812c are located in front of the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the front panel 2812d of the second component 2812A.

The unit body 2810A is assembled by positioning the second component 2812A in front of the first component 2811A and threading mounting screws through mounting holes in the first component 2811A from the rear into mounting holes in the second component 2812A. This creates the unit body 2810A, in which the second component 2812A is attached to the first component 2811A from the rear. In this unit body 2810A, the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A protrudes forward in front of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A.

As shown in FIG. 170, the first component 2811A of this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800D is formed in the shape of a shallow container that is open to the front, and houses an LED board 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch 2820c that is recessed from the front end of a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. The cover portion 2820a may also be provided with multiple slits for ventilation.

The unit cover 2820 also has multiple bosses 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a and are shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, and are used to attach the LED board 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a and through which mounting screws are inserted to attach the unit to the unit main body 2810A.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is formed to be large enough to cover the LED board 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. When assembled to the side unit 2800D, the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b abuts against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b form the contact surface portion 2830.

The cutouts 2820c are provided on the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall 2820b. When assembled to the side unit 2800D, the cutouts 2820c form a gap between the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the cutouts 2820c form a non-contact surface 2831 in part of the contact surface 2830 formed by the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b, which do not come into contact with each other. The cutouts 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 attached inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800D is attached to the inside of the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface abutting the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800D, the side unit 2800D can be decorated with illumination in a variety of colors.

This side unit 2800D can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, abutting (contacting) the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the unit cover 2820 through the mounting holes in the unit cover 2820 into the mounting holes of the first component member 2811A of the unit main body 2810A and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800D to the gaming panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A is abutted against the front surface of the panel board 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel board 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811A are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110. In this state, the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A are aligned with the mounting holes 1114 of the panel board 1110.

The side unit 2800D is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, threading the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

When the side unit 2800D is assembled to the unit main body 2810A, the front and rear ends of the multiple ball receiving portions 2812c of the second component member 2812A are sandwiched between the front plate 2812d of the second component member 2812A and the base plate 2811a of the first component member 2811A, resulting in a structure that is more rigid than conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800D to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800D is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800D prevents the side unit 2800D from bending. This prevents the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800D (first component 2811A) from tilting relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110, allowing the side unit 2800D to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly required for separation.

When the side unit 2800D is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (when the gaming board 5 is assembled), the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 (LED board 2825) are located within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and within the thickness of the panel board 1110, and are located forward of the rear surface of the panel board 1110. As a result, the LED board 2825 is located within the thickness of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100, making effective use of the inner thickness of the panel board 1110 and making it easier to secure empty space behind the LED board 2825 (unit cover 2820). This makes it possible to install part of a performance device in that empty space, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

In addition, in the side unit 2800D of this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 has cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) on the top and bottom, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 to be discharged upward through the upper cutout 2820c while allowing outside air to be drawn in through the lower cutout 2820c. Furthermore, when assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800D that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. This makes it easier for heat from the LED board 2825 to be released to the outside through the cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800D of this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is located rearward of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831). In other words, the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to get onto the LED board 2825, even if it enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2820c, thereby minimizing the effects of the dust and dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2820c is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2820c can be discharged downward through the lower cutout 2820c.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800D of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the cutout 2820c of the unit cover 2820 is located within the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, making it difficult for dust and dirt to enter the unit cover 2820 from above through the cutout 2820c.

In addition, when the side unit 2800D of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 from the front. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 inside the unit cover 2820 to be dissipated toward the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the gap between the cutout portion 2820c and the inner surface of the opening 1112, and prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112.

In the side unit 2800D, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2811e of the rear first component 2811A. After flowing rearward through the thickness of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2811e, the game ball B is delivered to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 that is provided behind the panel board 1110 (game panel 1100). After being delivered to the rear ball guide unit 3100, the game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

The side unit 2800D of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800D, the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 is provided with a notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a notch (non-contact surface 2831) cut out from the rear end to the front in the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A without providing a notch 2820c in the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surface) may be provided in both the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A.

In addition, the above-mentioned side unit 2800D is shown as having a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward on the unit main body 2810A, with the rear end surface serving as the contact surface portion 2830. However, this is not limited to this. The unit main body 2810A may not have a support frame portion 2814, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may abut against the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. As a result, since there is no support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward, the LED board 2825 can be positioned further forward, allowing the player to see brighter light-emitting decorations (light-emitting effects).

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800D, the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, but this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may also be attached to the rear side of the unit main body 2810A (first component 2811A).

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned side unit 2800D, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple concave and convex portions that diffuses light from the LEDs 2825a may be provided in front of the LED board 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A (base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A), or may be provided on a component separate from the unit main body 2810A.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the gaming panel 1100 equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the panel is thicker than a resin one, making it easier to more effectively utilize the thickness of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) were made transparent, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 would enter the panel board 1110 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and be diffused within the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the illumination effect. In contrast, by making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the light emission.

[13-2e. Side unit modification 5]
Next, a side unit 2800E having a different configuration from the above will be described mainly with reference to Figure 171 etc. Figure 171 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of this side unit together with the game panel. Here, the same components as those of the above side unit 2800D will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800E extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving the game ball B.

The side unit 2800E comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on the gaming panel 1100 where the obstacle nails are planted, a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810A, and an LED board 2825 mounted between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 and on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810A and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800E are made of transparent synthetic resin.

The side unit 2800E also has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 that is provided on part of the contact surface portion 2830 and does not come into contact with each other.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800E has a first component 2811A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on which the pegs are planted, a second component 2812A attached from the rear to the first component 2811A, and a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end face of which abuts the front end face of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812A is attached to the front side of the first component 2811A. The support frame 2814 also protrudes from the rear face of the first component 2811A.

The first component 2811A of the unit body 2810A comprises a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a ball passage 2811e that penetrates the base plate 2811a and opens forward, allowing gaming balls B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2812c) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), and a passage outlet (not shown) that opens rearward at the downstream end of the ball passage 2811e.

The first component 2811A also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple mounting holes 2811d penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, multiple mounting holes (not shown) penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting the second component 2812A, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) on the rear surface for mounting the unit cover 2820 (see Figure 165).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 formed in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are formed near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110, the head of the mounting screw does not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

This first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end surface of which abuts against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The support frame 2814 is provided on the rear surface of the base plate 2811a. When assembled to the side unit 2800E, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 abuts against the front end surface of a peripheral wall 2820b (described below) of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b form the contact surface 2830.

The second component 2812A has a plurality of ball receiving sections 2812c that extend slightly in the front-to-rear direction and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001, a flat rear plate 2812e that connects the rear ends of the plurality of ball receiving sections 2812c, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) for mounting to the first component 2811A.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A and the front surface of the rear plate 2812e.

The unit body 2810A is assembled by positioning the second component 2812A in front of the first component 2811A and threading mounting screws through mounting holes in the first component 2811A from the rear into mounting holes in the second component 2812A. This creates the unit body 2810A, in which the second component 2812A is attached to the first component 2811A from the rear. In this unit body 2810A, the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A protrudes forward in front of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800E has a branch section 2801 that communicates with the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The ball passage 2811e is made up of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The branch section 2801 extends rearward from a position forward of the front face of the panel plate 1110 to a position (within the thickness of the panel plate 1110) behind the front face of the panel plate 1110 and above the main section 2802.

The main flow section 2802 extends along the surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, from near the left end to near the right end of the base plate 2811a, lowering to the right. The length of the main flow section 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the gaming ball B (8 to 10 times in this embodiment).

In addition, when assembled to the unit main body 2810A, the ball passage 2811e, which is open forward in the first component 2811A, is closed off by the rear plate 2812e of the second component 2812A except for the area behind the ball receiving portion 2812c, so that game balls B do not spill forward from the ball passage 2811e. In other words, the ball passage 2811e is formed by the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A. In other words, the ball passage 2811e is provided between the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A.

As shown in FIG. 171, the first component 2811A of this embodiment, excluding the base plate 2811a, is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800E is formed in the shape of a shallow container that is open to the front, and houses an LED board 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch 2820c that is recessed from the front end of a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. The cover portion 2820a may also be provided with multiple slits for ventilation.

The unit cover 2820 also has multiple bosses 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a and are shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, and are used to attach the LED board 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a and through which mounting screws are inserted to attach the unit to the unit main body 2810A.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is formed to be large enough to cover the LED board 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. When assembled to the side unit 2800E, the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b abuts against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b form the contact surface portion 2830.

The cutouts 2820c are provided on the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall 2820b. When assembled to the side unit 2800D, the cutouts 2820c form a gap between the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the cutouts 2820c form a non-contact surface 2831 in part of the contact surface 2830 formed by the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b, which do not come into contact with each other. The cutouts 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 attached inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800E is attached to the inside of the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface abutting against the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800E, the side unit 2800E can be decorated with illumination in a variety of colors.

This side unit 2800E can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, abutting (contacting) the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the unit cover 2820 through the mounting holes in the unit cover 2820 into the mounting holes of the first component member 2811A of the unit main body 2810A and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800E to the gaming panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A is abutted against the front surface of the panel board 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel board 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811A are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110. In this state, the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A are aligned with the mounting holes 1114 of the panel board 1110.

The side unit 2800E is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, threading the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800E, the first component 2811A is provided with a ball passage 2811e that allows game balls B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2811e is U-shaped, increasing the rigidity of the first component 2811A due to the presence of the ball passage 2811e. Meanwhile, the second component 2812A has a configuration in which multiple ball receiving portions 2812c protrude forward from the flat rear plate 2812e, making it similar to conventional side units and less rigid. However, by assembling it to the unit main body 2810A, the increased rigidity of the first component 2811A allows for greater rigidity than conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800E to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800E is pulled forward, the side unit 2800E does not bend because of the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800E. As a result, the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800E (first component member 2811A) do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2800E to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800E is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (when the game board 5 is assembled), the first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A is located within the thickness of the panel board 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, and is located forward of the rear surface of the panel board 1110.

In addition, when the side unit 2800E of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit cover 2820 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110. In this case, because the cutout portions 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) are provided on the top and bottom, the upper cutout portion 2820c allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be discharged upward, while the lower cutout portion 2820c allows outside air to be taken in through the lower cutout portion 2820c. In addition, when assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the unit main body 2810A of the side unit 2800E that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, i.e., the outer periphery of the ball passage 2811e of the first component member 2811A, and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. This makes it easier for heat from the LED board 2825 to be released to the outside through the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800E of this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is located rearward of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831). In other words, the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to get onto the LED board 2825, even if it enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2820c, thereby minimizing the effects of the dust and dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2820c is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2820c can be discharged downward through the lower cutout 2820c.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800E of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the cutout 2820c of the unit cover 2820 is located within the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, making it difficult for dust and dirt to enter the unit cover 2820 from above through the cutout 2820c.

In addition, when the side unit 2800E of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 from the front. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 inside the unit cover 2820 to be dissipated toward the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the gap between the cutout portion 2820c and the inner surface of the opening 1112, and prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800E is assembled to the gaming board 5, as shown in FIG. 171, a portion (front end side) of the ball passage 2811e provided in the unit main body 2810A protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. Here, the ball passage 2811e protrudes forward by the thickness of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A. This reduces the amount of protrusion of the unit cover 2820 (LED board 2825) protruding rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110, thereby ensuring sufficient space behind the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), and allowing the desired size of back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510) to be installed.

The amount of rearward protrusion from the panel board 1110 is set to less than half the diameter D of the game ball B, similar to the side unit 2800A in Figure 167.

When the gaming panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the portion of the gaming area 5a where the obstacle nails are implanted tends to be thinner than when the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is made of wooden plywood or machined from a resin board. As a result, there is a risk that the portion of the ball passage 2811e of the unit main body 2810A that is aligned with the surface of the panel board 1110, and the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear of the unit main body 2810A, will not be able to fit within the thickness of the panel board 1110 and will protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110. Furthermore, if the side unit 2800E protrudes rearward by a large amount beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110, it will be impossible to secure sufficient space behind it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the amount of protrusion from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 in the side unit 2800E is less than half the diameter D of the game ball B, so sufficient space can be secured behind, allowing the desired size of back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510) to be installed.

In the side unit 2800E, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided to the rear ball passage 2811e by the ball receiving portion 2812c that forms the general winning opening 2001. The ball passage 2811e causes the ball to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110 while remaining within the thickness of the panel board 1110, and is then handed over from a passage exit (not shown) to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located at the rear. The game ball B handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted for the side unit 2800E of this embodiment, the passage exit (not shown) of the first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A is located below the lower rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general winning opening sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2812c), is located below the lower rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800E, general winning opening sensor 3001, etc. do not interfere with the lower rear movable decorative body 3510.

The side unit 2800E of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800E, the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 is provided with a notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a notch (non-contact surface 2831) cut out from the rear end to the front in the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A without providing a notch 2820c in the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surface) may be provided in both the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A.

In addition, in the above-described side unit 2800E, the unit main body 2810A is provided with a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward, with the rear end surface serving as the contact surface portion 2830. However, this is not limited to this. The unit main body 2810A may not be provided with a support frame portion 2814, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may be made to abut against the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. In this way, because the support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward is not provided, the amount of protrusion rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 in the side unit 2800E can be reduced, making it possible to secure more free space behind the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800E, the LED board 2825 is shown attached to the unit cover 2820, but this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may also be attached to the rear side of the unit main body 2810A (first component 2811A).

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned side unit 2800E, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple concave and convex portions that diffuses light from the LEDs 2825a may be provided in front of the LED board 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A (first component member 2811A), or may be provided on a component separate from the unit main body 2810A.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800E is shown as having a ball passage 2811e composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2812c and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 join, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2812c may have its own independent ball passage 2811e.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the gaming panel 1100 equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the panel is thicker than a resin one, making it easier to more effectively utilize the thickness of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) were made transparent, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 would enter the panel board 1110 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and be diffused within the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the illumination effect. In contrast, by making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the light emission.

[13-2f. Modification 6 of the side unit]
Next, a side unit 2800F having a configuration different from that described above will be described mainly with reference to Figure 172 etc. Figure 172(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a side unit having a different configuration together with a gaming panel, and Figure 172(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a longitudinal section of Figure 172(a). Here, the same components as those of the above-described side unit 2800D will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800F extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving the game ball B.

The side unit 2800F comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on the gaming panel 1100 on which the obstacle nails are planted, a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810A, and an LED board 2825 mounted with multiple LEDs 2825a and located between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820. The unit body 2810A and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800F are made of transparent synthetic resin.

The side unit 2800F also has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 that is provided on part of the contact surface portion 2830 and does not contact each other.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800F has a first component 2811A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on which the pegs are planted, a second component 2812A attached from the rear to the first component 2811A, and a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end face of which abuts the front end face of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812A is attached to the front side of the first component 2811A. The support frame 2814 also protrudes from the rear face of the first component 2811A.

The first component 2811A of the unit body 2810A comprises a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a ball passage 2811e that penetrates the base plate 2811a and opens forward, allowing gaming balls B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2812c) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), and a passage outlet (not shown) that opens rearward at the downstream end of the ball passage 2811e.

The first component 2811A also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple mounting holes 2811d penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, multiple mounting holes (not shown) penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting the second component 2812A, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) on the rear surface for mounting the unit cover 2820 (see Figure 165).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the first component 1000. Furthermore, in the side unit 2800F, the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A is located below the vertical center of the base plate 2811a.

Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are provided on the base plate 2811a near the positioning protrusions 2811c and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk hole formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that screw into the mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

This first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end surface of which abuts against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The support frame 2814 is provided on the rear surface of the base plate 2811a above the spherical passage 2811e. When assembled to the side unit 2800F, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b (described later) of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b form the contact surface 2830.

The second component 2812A has a plurality of ball receiving sections 2812c that extend slightly in the front-to-rear direction and are open at the top and bottom, forming the general winning opening 2001; a flat front plate 2812d that connects the front ends of the plurality of ball receiving sections 2812c; a ball passage 2812f that is located behind the front plate 2812d and below the ball receiving sections 2812c, is open to the rear, and allows game balls B received in the ball receiving sections 2812c to flow through; and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) for mounting to the first component 2811A.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the front panel 2812d of the second component 2812A.

The unit body 2810A is assembled by positioning the second component 2812A in front of the first component 2811A and threading mounting screws through mounting holes in the first component 2811A from the rear into mounting holes in the second component 2812A. This creates the unit body 2810A, in which the second component 2812A is attached to the first component 2811A from the rear. In this unit body 2810A, the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A protrudes forward in front of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800F has a branch section 2801 (shown with light shading in Figure 172) that is connected to the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c), and a main section 2802 (shown with dark shading in Figure 172) that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. Ball passage 2811e and ball passage 2812f are composed of multiple branch sections 2801 and main section 2802.

When viewed from the front, the tributary portion 2801 extends downward and forward of the panel plate 1110 at the ball receiving portion 2812c in the left-right center and the ball receiving portion 2812c on the left edge, while the ball receiving portion 2812c on the right edge extends rearward from a position forward of the panel plate 1110 to a position within the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

The main flow section 2802 extends along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 in front of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the area below the leftmost ball receiving section 2812c to the area below the central ball receiving section 2812c in the left-right direction, then bends backward at the area below the central ball receiving section 2812c in the left-right direction, extends into the thickness of the panel plate 1110, and then extends along the surface of the panel plate 1110 within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 to the area behind the rightmost ball receiving section 2812c. The length of the main flow section 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the gaming ball B (8 to 15 times in this embodiment).

When assembled to the unit main body 2810A, the ball passage 2811e, which is open to the front of the first component 2811A, is closed by the ball passage 2812f and rear surface of the second component 2812A. Furthermore, the ball passage 2812f, which is open to the rear of the second component 2812A, is closed by the base plate 2811a and ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A. This prevents game balls B from spilling out of the ball passage 2811e and ball passage 2812f. In other words, the ball passage 2811e and ball passage 2812f are formed by the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A. In other words, the ball passage 2811e and ball passage 2812f are provided between the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A.

As shown in FIG. 172, the first component 2811A of this embodiment, excluding the base plate 2811a, is formed so that it can be inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800F is formed in the shape of a shallow container that is open to the front, and houses an LED board 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch 2820c that is recessed from the front end of a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. The cover portion 2820a may also be provided with multiple slits for ventilation.

The unit cover 2820 also has multiple bosses 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a and are shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, and are used to attach the LED board 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a and through which mounting screws are inserted to attach the unit to the unit main body 2810A.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is formed to be large enough to cover the LED board 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. When assembled to the side unit 2800F, the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b abuts against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b form the contact surface portion 2830.

The cutouts 2820c are provided on the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall 2820b. When assembled to the side unit 2800D, the cutouts 2820c form a gap between the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the cutouts 2820c form a non-contact surface 2831 in part of the contact surface 2830 formed by the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b, which do not come into contact with each other. The cutouts 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 attached inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800F is attached to the inside of the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface abutting against the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800F, the side unit 2800F can be decorated with illumination in a variety of colors.

This side unit 2800F can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, abutting (contacting) the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the unit cover 2820 through the mounting holes in the unit cover 2820 into the mounting holes of the first component member 2811A of the unit main body 2810A and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800F to the gaming panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A is abutted against the front surface of the panel board 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel board 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811A are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110. In this state, the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A are aligned with the mounting holes 1114 of the panel board 1110.

The side unit 2800F is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, threading the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800F, the first component 2811A is provided with a ball passage 2811e that allows game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2811e is U-shaped, thereby increasing the rigidity of the first component 2811A due to the presence of the ball passage 2811e. Meanwhile, the second component 2812A is also provided with a ball passage 2812f that allows game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2812f is U-shaped, thereby increasing the rigidity of the second component 2812A due to the presence of the ball passage 2812f. As a result, the side unit 2800F is constructed by combining the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A, which have increased rigidity, resulting in greater rigidity than conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800F to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800F is pulled forward, the side unit 2800F does not bend because of the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800F. As a result, the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800F (first component member 2811A) do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, and the side unit 2800F can be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800F is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 (when the gaming board 5 is assembled), the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 (LED board 2825) are located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and are located forward of the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In other words, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the side unit 2800 does not protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, making it possible to ensure ample space behind the panel plate 1110.

In addition, in the side unit 2800F of this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 has cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) on the top and bottom, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 to be discharged upward through the upper cutout 2820c while allowing outside air to be drawn in through the lower cutout 2820c. When assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800F that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, i.e., between the outer periphery of the support frame portion 2814 of the first component 2811A and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. This makes it easier for heat from the LED board 2825 to be released to the outside through the cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800F of this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is located rearward of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831). In other words, the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to get onto the LED board 2825, even if it enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2820c, thereby minimizing the effects of the dust and dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2820c is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2820c can be discharged downward through the lower cutout 2820c.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800F of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the cutout 2820c of the unit cover 2820 is located within the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, making it difficult for dust and dirt to enter the unit cover 2820 from above through the cutout 2820c.

In addition, when the side unit 2800F of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 from the front. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 inside the unit cover 2820 to be dissipated toward the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the gap between the cutout portion 2820c and the inner surface of the opening 1112, and prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800F is assembled to the gaming board 5, as shown in FIG. 172, the ball passage 2812f, through which the gaming ball B received in the ball receiving portion 2812c flows down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, is provided forward of the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. This allows the unit cover 2820 (LED board 2825) provided on the rear side of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A to be contained within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and prevents it from protruding rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. Therefore, sufficient space can be secured behind the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) in the side unit 2800F, allowing a desired size of back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510) to be provided.

In the side unit 2800F, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it flows down the ball receiving portion 2812c that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812f below, and then flows down the surface of the panel board 1110 forward of the front of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812f, bending backward in a crank shape along the way and flowing down along the surface of the panel board 1110 within the thickness of the panel board 1110, before being handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located at the rear through a passage exit (not shown). The game ball B handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward. On the other hand, if a game ball B flowing down toward the side unit 2800F is not received by the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2812c) of the side unit 2800F, the game ball B flows down through the space between the base plate 2811a and the front plate 2812d to the outlet 1008, and is discharged through the outlet 1008 to the rear and below of the game panel 1100.

As shown in Figure 172 (b), in the side unit 2800F of this embodiment, the passage outlet (not shown) of the first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A is located below the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general winning opening sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2812c), is located below the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800F, general winning opening sensor 3001, etc. do not interfere with the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510.

The side unit 2800F of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800F, the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 is provided with a notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a notch (non-contact surface 2831) cut out from the rear end to the front in the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A without providing a notch 2820c in the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surface) may be provided in both the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A.

In addition, in the above-described side unit 2800F, the unit main body 2810A is provided with a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward, with the rear end surface serving as the contact surface portion 2830. However, this is not limited to this. The unit main body 2810A may not be provided with a support frame portion 2814, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may be made to abut against the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. In this way, since the support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward is not provided, the amount of rearward protrusion of the side unit 2800F can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800F, the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, but this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may also be attached to the rear side of the unit main body 2810A (first component 2811A).

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned side unit 2800F, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple concave and convex portions that diffuses light from the LEDs 2825a may be provided in front of the LED board 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A (first component member 2811A), or may be provided on a component separate from the unit main body 2810A.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800F is shown as having a ball passage 2811e composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2812c and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 join, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2812c may have its own independent ball passage 2811e.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the gaming panel 1100 equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the panel is thicker than a resin one, making it easier to more effectively utilize the thickness of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) were made transparent, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 would enter the panel board 1110 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and be diffused within the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the illumination effect. In contrast, by making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the light emission.

[13-3. Side unit etc. of the third embodiment]
Next, the side unit 2800G of the third embodiment will be described mainly with reference to Figures 173 and 175. Figure 173(a) is a front view showing the main parts of a gaming board equipped with a side unit of the third embodiment, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the outlet portion in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a longitudinal cross section of (b). Figure 174(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the outlet portion of a gaming board equipped with a side unit having a finger hook portion of a different configuration from that shown in Figure 173, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a longitudinal cross section of (a). Figure 175 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a panel plate of a gaming panel in which the opening to which the side unit is attached and the outlet are continuously connected. Here, the same components as those described above are described using the same symbols.

The side unit 2800G of the third embodiment extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is attached to the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) from the front. The side unit 2800G has three general winning ports 2001 that are always open and can receive the game ball B.

In this embodiment, the gaming panel 1100 has an opening area 1101 penetrating the panel board 1110, through which gaming balls B can pass from the front side to the rear side of the panel board 1110. This opening area 1101 is composed of a normal opening area 1102 through which gaming balls B received in the general winning opening 2001 of the side unit 2800G can pass, and a specific opening area 1103 through which gaming balls B not received in the general winning opening 2001 can pass. The normal opening area 1102 is an opening 1112 at the location where the side unit 2800G is attached, and the specific opening area 1103 is the outlet 1008. This outlet 1008 is formed as a notch that opens downward in the panel board 1110.

In the embodiment of Figure 173 and Figure 174 described below, the normal opening area 1102 and the specific opening area 1103 that make up the opening area 1101 are independent and not connected to each other. In other words, the specific opening area 1103 is formed on the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 separately from the normal opening area 1102. In other words, the outlet 1008 is formed by the specific opening area 1103 that is formed on the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 separately from the normal opening area 1102 into which the side unit 2800G is fitted. This makes it possible to reduce the area of the panel plate 1110 that is cut outward from the outer periphery, thereby preventing a decrease in the strength of the panel plate 1110 due to the formation of the opening area 1101.

This side unit 2800G has a finger grip 2816 whose outer edge partially overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103) that penetrates the panel board 1110 when attached to the panel board 1110. In other words, the side unit 2800G is attached to the panel board 1110 so that its outer edge partially overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103).

Because the side unit 2800G is provided with a finger hook 2816, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, by removing the mounting screws that attach the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110 and inserting a finger or tool into the outlet 1008, the finger or tool can be hooked onto the finger hook 2816 and the side unit 2800G can be pulled forward. This allows the side unit 2800G to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

To further explain the side unit 2800G of this embodiment, the side unit 2800G, like the side unit 2800 shown in Figure 165, etc., is composed of a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 in which the obstacle nails are planted, and a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811. In the side unit 2800 of this embodiment, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear of the first component 2811.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800G has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and multiple ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001.

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. As shown in FIG. 173, the right end of the base plate 2811a in this embodiment extends further to the right than the ball receiving portion 2811b at the right end so as to approach the starting port unit 2100. This base plate 2811a is arranged so that a portion of its outer edge overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103). In other words, when attached to the panel board 1110, a portion of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a is formed to protrude forward of the outlet 1008 so as to overlap the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103) in a front view. In this embodiment, the portion of the base plate 2811a that protrudes forward of the outlet 1008 is the finger hook portion 2816.

The outer edge of the base plate 2811a is inclined so that the front surface moves rearward as it approaches the outer edge. Therefore, the portion of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a that corresponds to the outlet 1008, i.e., the front end surface of the finger grip 2816, is inclined toward the outlet 1008.

The three ball receiving portions 2811b are spaced apart from each other on the left and right, with the rightmost ball receiving portion 2811b positioned further downward. The leftmost ball receiving portion 2811b has its front end surface parallel to the base plate 2811a all the way to the bottom. The remaining ball receiving portions 2811b (center and rightmost) are inclined so that their front end surfaces move further rearward as they approach the bottom.

The first component 2811 also has two positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple (three in this case) mounting holes 2811d penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear end surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b (base plate 2811a) for mounting the second component 2812.

The two positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. Here, the two positioning protrusions 2811c are provided in a portion close to the outlet 1008 and a portion far from the outlet 1008. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, the two positioning protrusions 2811c are the same length.

The three mounting holes 2811d are provided near the positioning protrusion 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

The mounting hole is intended to receive a mounting screw inserted into a mounting hole (not shown) in the second component 2812, which will be described later.

The second component 2812 is formed in the shape of a container that is open to the front, and has a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a passage outlet 2812b that opens toward the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811.

The second component 2812 in this embodiment is inserted (fitted) into the opening 1112 (normal opening area 1102) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The spherical passage 2812a of the second component 2812 is formed so as to follow the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000 and to become lower toward the right along the surface of the panel board 1110. The passage outlet 2812b opens toward the rear at the right end of the second component 2812, which is the downstream end of the spherical passage 2812a.

The mounting holes of the second component 2812 are located at positions corresponding to the mounting holes of the first component 2811. By inserting mounting screws from the rear through the mounting holes of the second component 2812 and screwing them into the mounting holes of the first component 2811, the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

The side unit 2800G of this embodiment has a branch section 2801 that communicates with the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is made up of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The branch section 2801 extends rearward from a position forward of the front face of the panel plate 1110 to a position (within the thickness of the panel plate 1110) behind the front face of the panel plate 1110 and above the main section 2802.

The main flow section 2802 extends along the surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, from near the left end to near the right end of the base plate 2811a, lowering to the right. The length of the main flow section 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the gaming ball B (8 to 10 times in this embodiment).

The side unit 2800G of this embodiment is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811 and screwing mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through the mounting holes in the second component 2812 into the mounting holes in the first component 2811. This creates a side unit 2800G in which the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

The ball passage 2812a of the second component 2812 is open to the front, but when the first component 2811 is attached to the front, the front end of the ball passage 2812a is closed by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811, so that the game ball B does not spill forward from the ball passage 2812a. In other words, the ball passage 2812a is formed by the first component 2811 and the second component 2812. In other words, the ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812.

This side unit 2800G abuts the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 (normal opening area 1102 of the opening area 1101) that penetrates the panel plate 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is aligned with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

The side unit 2800G is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, screwing the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

When the side unit 2800G of this embodiment is attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 (when the gaming board 5 is assembled), the finger grip portion 2816 of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 protrudes forward of the outlet 1008 (the specific opening area 1103 of the opening area 1101).

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800G is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 (when the gaming board 5 is assembled), the second component 2812 is located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and is located forward of the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In other words, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the side unit 2800G does not protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, making it possible to ensure a large space behind the panel plate 1110.

In the side unit 2800G, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812a behind the front of the panel board 1110, and after flowing down along the surface of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, it is handed over from the passage exit 2812b to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located behind. After being handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100, the game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the passage exit 2812b of the second component 2812 is located below the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general winning opening sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b), is located below the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800G, general winning opening sensor 3001, etc. do not interfere with the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510.

The side unit 2800G of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the side unit 2800G of this embodiment, the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2812a is U-shaped, and the presence of the ball passage 2812a increases the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, the side unit 2800G is formed by attaching the second component 2812, which has increased rigidity, to the rear side of the first component 2811, thereby increasing the rigidity of the side unit 2800 compared to conventional side units. Therefore, during disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling, etc., when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100 are removed and the side unit 2800G is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800 prevents the side unit 2800 from bending. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c of the side unit 2800G (first component 2811) from tilting relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110, allowing the side unit 2800G to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly required for separation.

Furthermore, according to the side unit 2800G of this embodiment, a finger hook 2816 that overlaps with the outlet 1008 of the panel board 1110 is provided on part of the outer edge. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, after removing the mounting screws that attach the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110, a finger or tool can be inserted into the outlet 1008 to hook a finger or tool on the finger hook 2816 and pull the side unit 2800G forward. This allows the side unit 2800G to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

In addition, in the side unit 2800G of this embodiment, the finger hook portion 2816 is arranged to overlap with the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103), and since the outlet 1008 is large enough to accommodate two or more game balls B, the operator's fingers can be easily inserted into the outlet 1008 and the fingers can be easily hooked onto the finger hook portion 2816.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800G, the finger hook 2816 of the base plate 2811a protrudes forward of the outlet 1008 so as to overlap the outlet 1008. This prevents a game ball B flowing down the play area 5a and along the surface of the panel board 1110 from above the outlet 1008 from skimming the corners at the front end of the outlet 1008 and entering the outlet 1008, or a game ball B bouncing upward at the outlet guide section 1003 in front of the outlet 1008 from hitting the corners at the front end of the outlet 1008. In other words, the finger hook 2816 prevents the game ball B from hitting the corners at the front end of the outlet 1008 on the panel board 1110. This prevents the front end of the outlet 1008 from being chipped.

In addition, in the side unit 2800G, the front surface of the finger hook 2816 on the base plate 2811a is inclined toward the outlet 1008, so the corners of the outer edge are obtuse angles. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 to remove the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the worker hooks their fingers or the like on the finger hook 2816 (finger hook 2817) that overlaps with the outlet 1008 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G. Even if the fingers or the like come into contact with the corners of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a, the obtuse angle of the corner makes it less likely that the fingers or the like will be injured compared to when the corners are right angles, and the side unit 2800G can be safely removed with the fingers or the like.

In addition, in the side unit 2800G, the front surface of the finger hook portion 2816 on the base plate 2811a is inclined toward the outlet 1008, so that the game ball B flowing down along the front surface of the base plate 2811a toward the outlet 1008 can be smoothly guided to the outlet 1008, preventing the game ball B from stagnating near the outlet 1008. Furthermore, because the front surface of the finger hook portion 2816 is inclined, the corner at the front end of the finger hook portion 2816 is an obtuse angle, making it less likely for the corner at the front end to chip.

In addition, when the side unit 2800G is assembled to the gaming board 5, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, thereby preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the gaming area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

However, since the side unit 2800G is provided with two positioning protrusions 2811c, each of which is inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 during disassembly, if an attempt is made to simultaneously pull out the two positioning protrusions 2811c from the positioning holes 1113, it will be necessary to pull the side unit 2800G forward with great force, which may increase the burden on the worker. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the positioning protrusions 2811c are provided at locations close to and far from the outlet 1008, so that when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, the worker can hook his/her finger or the like onto the finger hook portion 2816 that overlaps with the outlet 1008 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800 and pull it forward, thereby applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion 2811c that is close to the outlet 1008. As a result, during disassembly, of the two positioning protrusions 2811c, the positioning protrusion 2811c closest to the outlet 1008 can be removed from the positioning hole 1113 first, and then the remaining positioning protrusion 2811c farthest from the outlet 1008 can be removed from the positioning hole 1113. This means that the positioning protrusions 2811c can be removed with less force than when pulling out two positioning protrusions 2811c at the same time, reducing the workload.

In the above-mentioned side unit 2800G, the finger hook 2816 is shown as a flat plate that fits along the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, but this is not limited to this and the finger hook 2817 may also be in the form shown in Figure 174.

When the side unit 2800G is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the finger hook 2817 overlaps with the outlet 1008 that penetrates the panel plate 1110 in a front view, and extends from the front surface of the panel plate 1110 rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 along the inner surface of the outlet 1008. The finger hook 2817 is provided on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 of the side unit 2800G. The front surface of the finger hook 2817 is inclined toward the outlet 1008.

In the example shown in Figure 174, the depth of the finger hook 2817 that overlaps with the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103) at the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is long, and the portion inserted into the outlet 1008 has a certain thickness. Therefore, the size of the outlet 1008 becomes smaller due to the thickness of the finger hook 2817 (reducing the passage volume for discharging game ball B), but in this embodiment, the size of the outlet 1008 is made wider (increasing the passage volume for discharging game ball B) in anticipation of the thickness of the finger hook 2817. This allows game ball B to be discharged smoothly at the outlet 1008.

This finger hook 2817 can achieve the same effect as the finger hook 2816 described above. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, after removing the mounting screws that attach the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110, a finger or tool can be inserted into the outlet 1008, and the finger or tool can be hooked on the finger hook 2817 to pull the side unit 2800G forward. This allows the side unit 2800G to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, because the finger hook portion 2817 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110 along the inner surface of the outlet 1008, the finger hook portion 2817 can protect the inner surface of the outlet 1008. Furthermore, when a wooden gaming panel 1100 is used, the finger hook portion 2817 can hide the inner surface of the outlet 1008, where the wood is exposed, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (gaming board 5).

In addition, in the above embodiment, the side unit 2800G is provided with the finger hooks 2816 and 2817, but this is not limited to this. As shown in Figures 173 and 174, the starting hole unit 2100 and the attacker unit 2400 attached to the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 may be provided with finger hooks 2816 and 2817 whose outer edges overlap the outlet 1008.

More specifically, the starting opening unit 2100 has a flat base plate 2103 that abuts against the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and finger hooks 2816 and 2817 are provided at the portion of the base plate 2103 that overlaps with the outlet 1008. Although not shown in the figure, the starting opening unit 2100 has multiple positioning protrusions that protrude rearward from the base plate 2103 and are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110.

The attacca unit 2400 also has a flat base plate 2431 that abuts against the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and finger hooks 2816 and 2817 are provided at the portion of the base plate 2431 that overlaps with the outlet 1008. Although not shown in the figure, the attacca unit 2400 has multiple positioning protrusions that protrude rearward from the base plate 2431 and are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110.

The starting port unit 2100 and attacker unit 2400 can also achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800G described above.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 is shown as having a panel 1110 in which the opening 1112 blocked by the side unit 2800G and the outlet 1008 are not connected but are provided separately. However, this is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 175, the opening 1112 and the outlet 1008 may be connected so that they are continuous. In other words, the panel board 1110 may have an opening area 1101 in which the normal opening area 1102 blocked by the side unit 2800G and the specific opening area 1103 that constitutes the outlet 1008 are connected. In other words, the outlet 1008 may be formed in the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 so as to be continuous with the normal opening area 1102 into which the side unit 2800G is fitted, but may be configured as a specific opening area 1103 into which the side unit 2800G is not fitted.

In the embodiment of Figure 175, the side unit 2800G is also provided with a finger grip 2816 so that part of the base plate 2811a overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103), which provides the same effect as above. In addition, the specific opening area 1103 is formed on the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 so that it is continuous with the normal opening area 1102. Therefore, when a cutting tool such as an end mill is used to form the normal opening area 1102 and the specific opening area 1103 on the panel board 1110, the normal opening area 1102 and the specific opening area 1103 can be cut continuously, thereby reducing the cost of the panel board 1110.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the base plate 2811a (base plate 2103, base plate 2431) that abuts against the front surface of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100 is provided with a finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817) that overlaps with the outlet 1008, but this is not limited to this, and the finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817) may also be provided in a location that is separated from the surface of the panel board 1110 in the front-to-rear direction (for example, the front plate 2812d that is separated forward from the panel board 1110).

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the gaming panel 1100 is shown to have a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, but this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the board thickness is greater than that of a resin panel, making it easier to more effectively utilize the board thickness of the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800G is shown as having a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2812c, and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 join, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2811b may have its own independent ball passage 2812a.

Furthermore, while the above-mentioned side unit 2800G does not include a ball sensor to detect the game ball B received in the ball receiving portion 2811b, this is not limited to this and the side unit 2800G may include a ball sensor. If the side unit 2800G includes a ball sensor, it is desirable to locate the ball sensor within the thickness of the panel board 1110 or to locate the ball sensor below the rear performance device (below-back performance unit 3500).

In addition, while the above side unit 2800G does not have an LED board on the rear side, this is not limited to this and LEDs for decorative illumination may also be provided. If the side unit 2800G is provided with an LED board, it is desirable to provide a unit cover that covers the LED board from the rear and whose front end face abuts the rear face of the side unit 2800G (second component 2812), and to provide a non-contact surface portion where the unit cover and side unit are in contact with each other. This allows the LEDs on the LED board to decorate the side unit 2800G and allows heat from the LEDs to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the side units 2800 (side unit 2800A, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, side unit 2800F, side unit 2800G) were shown as units that effectively utilize the internal thickness of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, but this is not limited to this, and the internal thickness of the panel board 1110 may also be effectively utilized in the start opening unit 2100, attacca unit 2400 (attacca unit 2730), normal winning opening unit 2600, second start opening unit 2720, special winning opening unit 2740, etc.

[13-4. Relationship between the LED board and the non-contact surface portion in the side unit]
Next, the relationship between the LED board 2825 and the non-contact surface portion 2831 in the side units 2800B to 2800F in which the LED board 2825 is provided will be described mainly with reference to FIG. 176 and other figures. FIG. 176(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided rearward of the LED board, FIG. 176(b) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided rearward of the LED board in a form different from that shown in FIG. 176(a), FIG. 176(c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided so as to overlap the LED board, and FIG. 176(d) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided around the entire periphery of the unit cover. FIGS. 176(a) and 176(c) show the side unit 2800B of FIG. 168 as an example, and FIGS. 176(c) and 176(d) show the side unit 2800D of FIG. 170 as an example. Here, the same components as those described above will be described with the same reference numerals.

The LED board 2825 shown in Figures 168 to 172 has a resistor mounted on a separate board to limit the current driving the mounted LEDs 2825a. Therefore, in this LED board 2825, the LEDs 2825a generate the most heat. In other words, the LED board 2825 emits most heat from the front side where the LEDs 2825a are mounted. In the embodiment shown in Figures 168 to 172, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) is provided near the front side of the LED board 2825, where the amount of heat generated is large. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be quickly dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c), preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

In the above embodiment, the resistor (current-limiting resistor) is mounted on a separate board from the LED board 2825, but this is not limited to this, and the resistor may be mounted on the LED board 2825. For example, the resistor may be mounted on the same surface of the LED board 2825 on which the LEDs 2825a are mounted. In this case, similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 168 to 172, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) may be provided on the side of the LED board 2825 closer to the surface on which the LEDs 2825a and resistors are mounted (here, the front surface).

When mounting the LED 2825a and resistor on the same surface of the LED board 2825, it is desirable to ensure that the LED 2825a and resistor do not overlap in the vertical direction. This prevents the heat emitted by the LED 2825a and resistor from affecting each other.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 176, the LED 2825a and the resistor 2825b for limiting the current supplied to the LED 2825a may be mounted on different surfaces of the LED board 2825. In other words, the resistor 2825b is mounted on the surface of the LED board 2825 opposite the surface on which the LED 2825a is mounted. In this case, since the resistor 2825b has a larger heat capacity than the LED 2825a, as shown in FIG. 176, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) may be provided on the side of the LED board 2825 closer to the surface on which the resistor 2825b is mounted (here, the rear surface).

More specifically, in the embodiment shown in Figure 176(a), the boss portion 2820d of the unit cover 2820 protrudes forward so that the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) is located closer to the resistor 2825b mounted on the rear surface of the LED 2825a, and the LED board 2825 is positioned within the frame of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be quickly dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c), preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 176(a), the LED board 2825 is arranged so as not to overlap the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This means that even if dust or dirt enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2820c, it is less likely to get on the LED board 2825, minimizing the effects of the dust or dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2820c is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust or dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2820c can be expelled downward from the lower cutout 2820c.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 176 (a), the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) is provided on the unit cover 2820 side, but this is not limited to this. It may also be provided on the unit main body 2810 (support frame portion 2814) side, or on both the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820.

In addition, in the embodiment shown in Figure 176 (b), the unit body 2810 has a plurality of bosses 2814a that protrude rearward from within the support frame 2814 on the rear surface thereof and to which the LED board 2825 is attached, and notches 2814b that are cut forward from the rear end surface of the frame-shaped support frame 2814. In this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 has only a flat cover portion 2820a, but may also have a peripheral wall portion 2820b, as described above.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 176(b), LEDs 2825a are mounted on the front surface of the LED board 2825, and resistors 2825b are mounted on the rear surface. When the LED board 2825 is attached to the boss portion 2814a, the cutout portion 2814b is located rearward of the rear surface of the LED board 2825. In other words, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2814b) is provided on the side of the LED board 2825 closer to the surface on which the resistor 2825b is mounted (here, the rear surface). This allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be quickly dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2814b), preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 176(b), the LED board 2825 is arranged so as not to overlap the cutout 2814b (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This means that even if dust or dirt enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2814b, it is less likely to get on the LED board 2825, minimizing the effects of the dust or dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2814b is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust or dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2814b can be expelled downward from the lower cutout 2814b.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 176 (b), the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2814b) is provided on the unit main body 2810 (support frame portion 2814) side, but this is not limited to this. It may also be provided on the unit cover 2820 side, or on both the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the LED board 2825 does not overlap the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2814b, cutout portion 2820c) in a plan view. However, this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may overlap the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) as shown in FIG. 176(c). More specifically, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 176(c), the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 attached to the support frame portion 2814 are positioned within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100, within the thickness of the panel board 1110. In other words, the space formed by the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 and accommodating the LED board 2825 is provided within the thickness of the panel board 1110. As a result, even if the LED board 2825 and the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) are arranged to overlap, the cutout portion 2820c is located within the thickness of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, so it is possible to reduce as much as possible the possibility that foreign matter such as dust and dirt from the outside of the panel board 1110 will enter the opening 1112 and then enter the unit cover 2820 through the cutout portion 2820c. This makes it difficult for foreign matter such as dust and dirt to get on the LED board 2825, and it is possible to prevent the effects of dust and dirt as much as possible.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 176 (c), a non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) is provided so that it contacts the LED board 2825. This allows both heat from the LEDs 2825a mounted on the front surface of the LED board 2825 and heat from the resistors 2825b mounted on the rear surface to be efficiently dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

Note that while Figure 176(c) shows the LED 2825a and resistor 2825b mounted on different sides of the LED substrate 2825, this is not limitative and the LED 2825a and resistor 2825b may be provided on the same side of the LED substrate 2825.

In addition, Figure 176 (c) shows a cutout portion 2820c provided on the unit cover 2820 as the non-contact surface portion 2831, but this is not limited to this. The non-contact surface portion 2831 may be provided on the unit main body 2810A (support frame portion 2814) side, or may be provided on both the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820.

In the embodiment of Figure 176 (c), a portion of the LED board 2825 may be inserted into the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch 2820c) between the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820, or may protrude to the outside to an extent that does not block the opening of the non-contact surface portion 2831. By inserting the LED board 2825 into the non-contact surface portion 2831 or protruding to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831, the LED board 2825 comes into contact with the outside air, thereby further enhancing the heat dissipation effect.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch 2820c) is provided on a portion of the contact surface portion 2830 between the unit main body 2810A (support frame portion 2814) and the unit cover 2820. However, this is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 176(d), the non-contact surface portion 2831 may be provided around the entire circumference of the unit cover 2820. In other words, a gap is provided around the entire circumference between the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 is attached to a boss portion 2814a that protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 176 (d), a portion of the LED board 2825 is inserted into or protrudes from the non-contact surface portion 2831 (gap) between the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A and the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Even in this case, the LED board 2825 does not block the opening of the non-contact surface portion 2831. According to this embodiment, the LED board 2825 can be more easily exposed to the outside air, further improving the heat dissipation effect. Furthermore, the opening of the non-contact surface portion 2831 is more useful in preventing the intrusion of foreign matter such as dust and dirt.

Although not shown in the figures, the LED board 2825 described above uses a light-colored (e.g., white) solder resist on at least the board surface on which the LEDs 2825a are mounted. This prevents solder from adhering to unnecessary areas when mounting electronic components, and protects the circuit pattern from oxidation and insulation. This allows the light from the LEDs 2825a, etc. to be reflected by the light-colored solder resist, thereby increasing the light-emitting efficiency. Alternatively, when a full-color LED is used as the LED 2825a, the white solder resist allows the various emitted colors to be synchronized with the viewer's color perception, creating a natural illuminated decoration.

On this LED board 2825, information (letters and symbols) such as the part numbers and mounting positions of the electronic components to be mounted, the name, mounting position and mounting direction of the LED board 2825, etc., is printed (e.g., silk screen printed) in a similar color (e.g., yellow) so that it can be read when desired.

However, electronic components such as resistors and LED drivers mounted on LED boards often have their packages molded in black resin. Therefore, if the LED board is installed close to the player, the electronic components will be noticeable even when the LEDs are off, which could affect the appearance of the gaming machine. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in Figure 176, the resistor 2825b is mounted on the back surface of the LED board 2825, so the resistor 2825b can be hidden from the player, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Figures 168 to 172, if a resistor 2825b is mounted on the front surface of the LED board 2825, it is desirable to make the resistor 2825b less noticeable to the player. In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 with a predetermined decoration is provided in front of the LED board 2825, and the decorative sticker 2803 makes the resistor 2825b less noticeable.

Alternatively, when the resistor 2825b is mounted on the front surface of the LED board 2825, a plate- or sheet-shaped diffusion lens that diffuses light may be provided in front of the LED board 2825 to make the resistor 2825b less noticeable. Furthermore, a plate- or sheet-shaped decorative body with a partially opaque design may be provided in front of the LED board 2825, so that the resistor 2825b is hidden and not noticeable by the design of the decorative body. Furthermore, the resistor 2825b mounted on the front surface of the LED board 2825 may be colored with a bright paint or ink. The decorative sticker 2803, diffusion lens, decorative body, etc. described above may be used in any suitable combination.

Gaming panels 1100 are available in two types: those made of wood, which does not have translucency, and those made of translucent resin. In the case of wood, the opening 1112 is a dark tunnel-like shape, which blocks a certain amount of external light. However, in the case of transparent resin, even though the opening 1112 is the same tunnel-like shape, it is still possible to see through to the outside. Therefore, by combining this with a structure to improve appearance as described above, the above-mentioned effects can be achieved when utilizing the thickness of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110).

[15. Other features included in this embodiment]
[15-1. First technical feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-1a. Background of the first technical feature]
A gaming machine such as a pachinko machine has been proposed that includes a main frame that detachably supports a game board having a game area where game balls are played, a door frame that can be opened and closed relative to the main frame and that allows the game area to be viewed from the front, and a ball launching unit that is detachably attached to the front of the main frame below the game board and that launches game balls into the game area (for example, Patent Document A1: JP 2018-186935 A). According to the technology disclosed in Patent Document A1, by removing the ball launching unit forward with the door frame open relative to the main frame, it is possible to confirm components installed behind the ball launching unit through the area where the ball launching unit was attached.

However, when a detachable unit such as a ball launching unit is provided on the front of the main frame, as in Patent Document A1, if the detachable unit becomes detached during play, it could cause the game to be interrupted and reduce the player's interest, so it is possible to provide a locking means to prevent the detachable unit from becoming detached.

However, if a locking means is provided, there is a risk that the detachable unit may come off or that the locking means may be damaged by the door frame if the door frame is closed while the locking means is not fully locked.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that can prevent the locking means from being damaged or the detachable unit from coming off, even if the door frame is closed while the locking means for locking the detachable unit is in an incomplete state.

[15-1b. Solution to the first technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A main frame detachably supports a game board having a game area where games are played with game balls from the front,
A door frame that is provided to the main body frame so as to be openable and closable from the front and allows the game area to be viewed from the front;
A ball launching means is provided on the main body frame and is capable of supplying game balls to the game area;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into data,
The main body frame is
The vehicle has a detachable unit that is detachable from the front, and a locking means that is movable between a locking position that makes the attached detachable unit undetachable and an unlocking position that releases the lock,
The door frame is
The door frame has a protrusion that protrudes toward the main frame and that, when the door frame is closed against the main frame, lifts the door frame and moves the locking means to the locking position.
It is characterized by:

Here, examples of "detachable units" include "ball polishing cassettes having polishing cloths for polishing game balls," "ball launching means for launching game balls into the play area," "foul units for recovering game balls that were launched by the ball launching means but did not land in the play area," and "ball receiving trays for storing game balls removed from the ball circulation means."

Examples of "locking means" include "one that is rotatably supported at one end and has a lock piece that rotates from the release position to the lock position when a protrusion abuts on the other end," "one that has a pressing piece that presses the detachable unit rearward when the protrusion abuts and moves it from the release position to the lock position," "one that has a lock pin that is inserted into the detachable unit from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction when the protrusion abuts and moves it from the release position to the lock position," "one that has a Nylatch," "one that slides from the release position to the lock position when a protrusion abuts," etc.

According to the configuration of means 1, the gaming machine comprises a main frame that supports a gaming board with a gaming area where games are played using gaming balls in a detachable manner from the front, a door frame that can be opened and closed from the front relative to the main frame and allows the gaming area to be viewed from the front, a ball launching means that is attached to the main frame and can supply gaming balls to the gaming area, and a ball circulation means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming machine launches gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player. The main frame has a detachable unit that can be attached and detached from the front, and a locking mechanism that can move between a locked position that prevents the attached detachable unit from being attached and an unlocked position that releases the lock. The door frame has a protrusion that protrudes toward the main frame and lifts the door frame when closed against the main frame, and moves the locking mechanism to the locked position (see the protrusion 102 on the door frame main body 100 in the "Description of the Invention" section, chapter "4-5. Ball Lifting Unit," Figure 53, etc.).

In this gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine) in which game balls launched from the ball launching means, which launches game balls into the play area of the gaming board, are collected by the ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and game balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data, by setting the locking means to the locked position with the detachable unit attached to the main frame, the detachable unit cannot be removed. This prevents the detachable unit from accidentally detaching during play due to vibration or other reasons, and avoids interruptions to play due to the detachable unit being detached, thereby preventing a decrease in the player's interest. Furthermore, by opening the door frame relative to the main frame supporting the gaming board and moving the locking means from the locked position to the unlocked position, the detachable unit attached to the main frame can be removed forward. Removing the detachable unit makes it possible to check the components installed behind it, improving the ease of maintenance of the gaming machine. Furthermore, when the door frame is closed against the main frame, even if the locking means is not in the locked position, the protrusion on the door frame can move the locking means to the locked position. This prevents forgetting to lock the door, prevents the detachable unit from coming off during play, and prevents damage to the locking means or detachable unit due to the door frame coming into contact with it.

In addition, the protrusions on the door frame lift the door frame when it is closed against the main frame, preventing excessive load from being continuously applied to the hinges that allow the door frame to open and close, making the hinges less likely to warp.Even if the hinges do warp, the protrusions can lift the door frame, allowing the door frame to be closed in the correct position against the main frame.

The locking means may also have a locking piece that is rotatably supported at one end and moves from the unlocked position to the locked position when a protrusion abuts against the other end. In this way, if the door frame is closed in an incomplete state where the locking piece serving as the locking means has not yet moved to the locked position, the protrusion on the door frame will abut against the locking piece, causing the locking piece to rotate and move to the locked position. This makes it possible to construct a specific locking means configuration that can be manufactured, and to provide an amusement machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, when the locking means has a locking piece as described above, the locking means may also have a pressing piece that presses the detachable unit backward when the locking piece moves from the unlocked position to the locked position. In this way, if the door frame is closed in an incomplete state where the locking piece serving as the locking means has not yet moved to the locked position, the protrusion on the door frame will abut against the locking piece, causing the locking piece to rotate and move to the locked position, and the pressing piece will press the detachable unit backward. Therefore, even if the attachment of the detachable unit, in addition to the locking means, is incomplete, the detachable unit can be properly attached and the detachable unit can be reliably prevented from coming off.

Furthermore, the locking means may have an insert that is inserted into the detachable unit from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction when moved from the unlocked position to the locked position. This allows the insert to be inserted into the detachable unit from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction when the locking means is moved from the unlocked position to the locked position, preventing the detachable unit from coming off forward with the insert, thereby reliably providing a gaming machine that can achieve the effects described above. In this case, even if the locking means is not in the locked position when the door frame is closed against the main frame, the protrusion on the door frame will move the locking means to the locked position and the insert will be inserted into the detachable unit. Therefore, even if the locking means is in an incomplete state, the detachable unit can be properly attached and reliably prevented from coming off.

The locking means may also have a fixing means (e.g., a Nylatch) that expands the tip and locks the device when the operating part is pressed and pushed in. This allows the user to easily determine whether the fixing means is in the locked position by looking at the position of the operating part on the fixing means, reducing the chance of forgetting to lock the device.

Furthermore, as described above, if the locking means has a pressing piece that presses the detachable unit backward when the locking piece moves from the unlocked position to the locked position, the pressing piece may be immobilized by a fixing means. In this way, by fixing the pressing piece to an immobile state using the fixing means while the pressing piece is pressing the detachable unit backward, even when the door frame is opened relative to the main frame, the pressing piece on the detachable unit is maintained, preventing the detachable unit from immediately coming off forward.

Furthermore, the detachable unit may have a polishing cloth for polishing the game balls circulated by the ball circulation means. In this way, since the detachable unit has a polishing cloth for polishing the circulating game balls, if the polishing cloth becomes dirty, the detachable unit can be removed and replaced with a new detachable unit with a clean polishing cloth, thereby maintaining the circulating game balls in a clean, good condition. In this case, by applying this means to a ball polishing cassette or the like that is regularly replaced or otherwise maintained as the detachable unit, problems associated with attaching and detaching the detachable unit during maintenance can be minimized.

Furthermore, as described above, if the detachable unit is equipped with a polishing cloth for polishing game balls, removing the detachable unit makes it possible to see the inside of the ball circulation means, allowing the inside of the ball circulation means to be checked from the front.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The locking means is
One end is supported rotatably, and the other end on the opposite side has a lock piece that moves from the release position to the lock position when the protrusion comes into contact with it.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "locking pieces" include "those that rotate around an axis in the vertical direction," "those that rotate around an axis in the left-right direction," "those that rotate around an axis in the left-right direction," etc.

In the configuration of Means 2, one end of the locking means is rotatably supported, and the other end has a locking piece that moves from the unlocked position to the locked position when a protrusion abuts against it (see the description of the ball motor base 686 of the ball mechanism 680 in the "Description of the Invention").

This allows for the construction of a specific locking mechanism that can be easily manufactured, and provides a gaming machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects. As a result, when the door frame is closed in an incomplete state in which the locking piece serving as the locking means has not yet moved to the locked position, the protrusion on the door frame comes into contact with the locking piece, causing the locking piece to rotate and move to the locked position.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The locking means is
The lock piece has a pressing piece that presses the detachable unit rearward when the lock piece moves from the release position to the lock position.
It is characterized by being something.

In the configuration of means 3, the locking means has a pressing piece that presses the removable unit backward when the locking piece moves from the unlocked position to the locked position (see the description of the cassette pressing piece 693 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, when the door frame is closed while the locking piece serving as the locking means has not yet moved to the locked position, the protrusion on the door frame abuts against the locking piece, causing the locking piece to rotate and move to the locked position, and the pressing piece presses the detachable unit backward. Therefore, even if the installation of the detachable unit as well as the locking means is incomplete, the detachable unit can be properly attached, and it is possible to reliably prevent the detachable unit from coming off.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The locking means is
When the locking unit is moved from the release position to the locking position, the locking unit has an insert that is inserted into the detachable unit from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "insertion body" refers to "something formed in the shape of a pointed column" or "a coupling for transmitting power to the detachable unit," etc.

In the configuration of means 4, the locking means has an insert that is inserted into the detachable unit from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction when moved from the unlocked position to the locked position (see the description of the positioning pin 686b of the ball motor base 686 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, when the locking means is moved from the unlocked position to the locked position, the insert is inserted into the detachable unit from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction, preventing the detachable unit from coming off forward with the insert, reliably providing a gaming machine that can achieve the effects described above. Furthermore, even if the locking means is not in the locked position when the door frame is closed against the main frame, the protrusion on the door frame moves the locking means to the locked position and the insert is inserted into the detachable unit. Therefore, even if the locking means is in an incomplete state, the detachable unit can be properly attached and reliably prevented from coming off.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The locking means has a fixing means whose tip expands in diameter and is fixed by pressing and pushing in the operating portion."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the locking means has a fixing means (e.g., a Nylatch) whose tip expands in diameter and is fixed by pressing and pushing the operating part (see the description of Nylatch 694 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, the locking means has a fixing means whose tip expands in diameter and is fixed by pressing and pushing the operating part. Therefore, by looking at the position of the operating part on the fixing means, it is easy to determine whether the fixing means is in the locked position, reducing the chance of forgetting to lock.

Furthermore, if the locking means has a pressing piece that presses the detachable unit backward when the locking piece moves from the unlocked position to the locked position, the pressing piece may be immobilized by a fixing means. In this way, by fixing the pressing piece to an immobile state using the fixing means while the pressing piece is pressing the detachable unit backward, even when the door frame is opened relative to the main frame, the pressing piece on the detachable unit is maintained, preventing the detachable unit from immediately coming off forward.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 4,
"The detachable unit is
It has a polishing cloth for polishing the game balls circulated by the ball circulating means.
It is characterized by being something.

Means 6 is configured to have a polishing cloth as a detachable unit for polishing the game balls circulated by the ball circulation means (see the description of the ball polishing cassette 681 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, the detachable unit is equipped with a polishing cloth for polishing the circulating game balls, so if the polishing cloth becomes dirty, the detachable unit can be removed and replaced with a new detachable unit with a clean polishing cloth, allowing the circulating game balls to be kept clean and in good condition. Furthermore, by applying this method to a ball polishing cassette or the like, which is regularly replaced and otherwise maintained, as the detachable unit, problems associated with attaching and detaching the detachable unit during maintenance can be minimized.

In addition, the detachable unit is equipped with a polishing cloth for polishing the game balls, so by removing the detachable unit, it is possible to see inside the ball circulation means, allowing the inside of the ball circulation means to be checked from the front.

Means 7: In the gaming machine,
"A main frame detachably supports a game board having a game area where games are played with game balls from the front,
A door frame that is provided on the main body frame so as to be openable and closable from the front and allows the game area to be viewed from the front;
A ball launching means is provided on the main body frame and is capable of supplying game balls to the game area;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The main body frame is
The apparatus has a detachable unit that is detachable from the front and has polishing cloths for polishing the game balls circulated by the ball circulation means, and a locking means that is movable between a locking position that makes the attached detachable unit undetachable and a release position that releases the lock,
The door frame is
a protrusion that protrudes toward the main frame and that lifts the door frame and moves the locking means to the lock position by closing the door frame against the main frame;
The locking means is
a locking piece that is rotatably supported at one end and moves from the release position to the locking position when the protrusion comes into contact with the other end on the opposite side; an inserting body that is inserted into the detachable unit from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction when the locking piece moves from the release position to the locking position; a pressing piece that presses the detachable unit rearward when the locking piece moves from the release position to the locking position; and fixing means that expands the diameter of the tip of the pressing piece when an operating section is pressed and pushed in, thereby fixing the pressing piece so that it cannot move.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 7, the gaming machine comprises a main frame that supports a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played using gaming balls in a manner that allows it to be attached and detached from the front, a door frame that is attached to the main frame in a manner that allows it to be opened and closed from the front and makes the gaming area visible from the front, a ball launching means that is attached to the main frame and can supply gaming balls to the gaming area, and a ball circulating means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming machine launches gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player, and the main frame is attached to a detachable unit that is attached and detachable from the front and has a polishing cloth for polishing the gaming balls circulated by the ball circulating means, and a lock position and lock that prevent the attached detachable unit from being detached. The door frame has a protrusion that protrudes toward the main frame and lifts the door frame when closed against the main frame, moving the locking means to the locked position. The locking means has a locking piece that is rotatably supported at one end and moves from the unlocked position to the locked position when the protrusion comes into contact with the other end on the opposite side; an insert that is inserted into the detachable unit in a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction when the locking piece moves from the unlocked position to the locked position; a pressing piece that presses the detachable unit backward when the locking piece moves from the unlocked position to the locked position; and a fixing means that, when pressed and pushed in by the operating section, expands the diameter of the tip of the pressing piece to prevent it from moving.

In this configuration, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the playing area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data, when the locking piece of the locking means is set to the locked position with the detachable unit attached to the main frame, the insert is inserted into the detachable unit from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction, and the pressing piece presses the detachable unit backward. In this state, the pressing piece is immobilized by pressing and pushing in the operating portion of a fixing means such as a Nylatch in the locking means. As a result, even if the detachable unit is not fully attached, the pressing piece can be pushed backward to ensure proper attachment of the detachable unit, the insert prevents the detachable unit from coming off forward, and the fixing means allows the pressing piece to maintain pressure on the detachable unit, preventing it from being removed. In this case, by checking the position of the operating part on the fixing means of the locking means, it is easy to determine whether the fixing means has immobilized the pressing piece, reducing the chance of forgetting to lock. This prevents the detachable unit from accidentally detaching during play due to vibration or other reasons, and also prevents interruptions to play due to the detachable unit becoming detached, preventing a decrease in the player's interest.

In this state, when the door frame is opened relative to the main frame for maintenance or other purposes, the pressure piece is pressed backward against the detachable unit, and the fixing means prevents the pressure piece from moving. Therefore, even when the door frame is opened relative to the main frame, the pressure piece continues to press against the detachable unit, preventing the detachable unit from immediately detaching forward. To remove the detachable unit, first open the door frame relative to the main frame supporting the game board, operate the fixing means of the locking means to make the pressure piece movable, and then rotate the locking piece to move it from the locked position to the unlocked position. This separates the insert from the detachable unit, allowing the detachable unit attached to the main frame to be removed forward. This makes it possible to check the interior of the ball circulation means located behind the detachable unit by removing the detachable unit, which has a polishing cloth for polishing circulating game balls, thereby improving the ease of maintenance of the gaming machine.

When the door frame is closed against the main frame, even if the locking piece of the locking means is not in the locked position, closing the door frame causes the protrusion on the door frame to come into contact with the locking piece, causing the locking piece to rotate and move to the locked position. At the same time, the insert is inserted into the detachable unit from a direction intersecting the front-to-back direction. This prevents forgetting to lock the door, prevents the detachable unit from coming off during play, and prevents damage to the locking means or detachable unit due to the door frame coming into contact.

In addition, if the door frame is closed while the locking piece of the locking means has not yet moved to the locked position, the protrusion on the door frame will come into contact with the locking piece, causing the locking piece to rotate and move to the locked position, and the pressing piece will press the detachable unit backward. Therefore, even if the installation of the detachable unit as well as the locking means is incomplete, the detachable unit can be properly attached, and it is possible to reliably prevent the detachable unit from coming off.

Furthermore, the protrusions on the door frame lift the door frame when it is closed against the main frame, preventing excessive load from being continuously applied to the hinges that allow the door frame to open and close, making the hinges less likely to warp.Even if the hinges do warp, the protrusions can lift the door frame, allowing the door frame to be closed in the correct position against the main frame.

In addition, the detachable unit is equipped with a polishing cloth for polishing the circulating game balls. If the polishing cloth becomes dirty, the detachable unit can be removed and replaced with a new detachable unit with a clean polishing cloth, allowing the circulating game balls to be kept clean and in good condition. Furthermore, by applying this method to a ball polishing cassette or the like, which is regularly replaced and otherwise maintained, as the detachable unit, problems associated with attaching and detaching the detachable unit during maintenance can be minimized.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can prevent the locking means from being damaged or the detachable unit from coming off, even if the door frame is closed while the locking means that locks the detachable unit is in an incomplete state.

[15-1c. Relationship between the solution of the first technical feature and embodiments]
The protrusion 102 of the door frame main body 100 in the door frame 3 of this embodiment corresponds to the protrusion of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball launching unit 550 of the main body frame 4 of this embodiment corresponds to the ball launching means of the above-mentioned solution means, the foul unit 570, circulating ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, and ball sending unit 700 of this embodiment correspond to the ball circulating means of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball grinding cassette 681 of this embodiment corresponds to the detachable unit of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball grinding motor base 686 of this embodiment corresponds to the locking piece of the locking means of the above-mentioned solution means, the positioning pin 686b and the rotating connecting part 692 of this embodiment correspond to the insert of the above-mentioned solution means, the cassette pressing piece 693 of this embodiment corresponds to the pressing piece of the above-mentioned solution means, and the Nylatch 694 of this embodiment corresponds to the fixing means of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-1d. Characteristic effects of the first technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550, which launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the ball holding data of the player. In this pachinko machine 1 (a so-called enclosed gaming machine, a controlled gaming machine), when the ball polishing motor base 686 of the ball polishing mechanism 680 in the ball lifting unit 650 is set to the locked position with the ball polishing cassette 681 attached to the main body frame 4, the positioning pin 686b and the rotary connecting part 692 are inserted into the ball polishing cassette 681 from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction, and the ball polishing cassette 681 is pressed backward by the cassette pressing piece 693 (spring 695). In this state, the Nylatch locking mechanism immobilizes the pressing piece. This allows the pressing piece to be properly secured even if the ball-sharpening cassette 681 is not fully installed by pushing it backward. The positioning pin 686b and other devices prevent the ball-sharpening cassette 681 from being removed forward. Furthermore, the Nylatch 694 allows the cassette pressing piece 693 to maintain pressure on the ball-sharpening cassette 681, preventing the ball-sharpening cassette 681 from being removed. By observing the position of the operating portion 694a on the Nylatch 694, it is easy to determine whether the Nylatch 694 has immobilized the cassette pressing piece 693, reducing the chance of forgetting to lock the device. This prevents the ball-sharpening cassette 681 from accidentally coming off due to vibration or other reasons during gameplay. This also prevents interruptions to gameplay due to the ball-sharpening cassette 681 coming off, thereby minimizing a loss of interest among players.

In this state, if the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4 for maintenance or other reasons, the cassette pressure piece 693 is pressing the ball-forming cassette 681 backward while the Nylatch 694 prevents the cassette pressure piece 693 from moving. Therefore, even when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the cassette pressure piece 693 maintains its pressure on the ball-forming cassette 681, preventing the ball-forming cassette 681 from immediately falling forward. To remove the ball-forming cassette 681, first open the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 supporting the game board 5, operate the Nylatch 694 to make the cassette pressure piece 693 movable, and then rotate the ball-forming motor base 686 from the locked position to the unlocked position. This causes the positioning pins 686b and other parts to separate from the ball-forming cassette 681, allowing the ball-forming cassette 681 attached to the main frame 4 (the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668) to be removed forward. This means that by removing the ball polishing cassette 681, which contains the polishing cloth 682 used to polish the circulating game balls B, it is possible to check the inside of the ball lifting mechanism 660 (lifting spiral shaft 661, etc.) of the ball lifting unit 650 located behind it, improving the ease of maintenance of the pachinko machine 1.

When the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, even if the ball motor base 686 is not in the locked position, when the door frame 3 is closed, the protrusion 102 of the door frame 3 abuts against the ball motor base 686, causing the ball motor base 686 to rotate and move to the locked position, and the positioning pin 686b etc. is inserted into the ball cassette 681 from a direction intersecting the front-to-back direction. This prevents forgetting to lock the door and prevents the ball cassette 681 from coming off during play. Furthermore, the abutment of the door frame 3 will not damage the ball motor base 686, cassette pressure piece 693, ball cassette 681, etc.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is closed while the ball motor base 686 has not yet moved to the locked position, the protrusion 102 on the door frame 3 will come into contact with the ball motor base 686, causing the ball motor base 686 to rotate and move to the locked position. At the same time, the cassette pressing piece 693 will press the ball cassette 681 backward due to the biasing force of the spring 695. Therefore, in addition to the locking provided by the positioning pin 686b of the ball motor base 686, the ball cassette 681 can be properly installed even if the installation is incomplete, and it is possible to reliably prevent the ball cassette 681 from coming off.

Furthermore, the protrusions 102 on the door frame 3 lift the door frame 3 when it is closed against the main frame 4. This prevents excessive load from being continuously applied to the door frame hinge mechanism 110, which allows the door frame 3 to open and close, making the hinge less likely to warp. Even if the hinge does warp, the protrusions 102 can lift the door frame 3, allowing the door frame 3 to be closed in the correct position against the main frame 4.

In addition, the ball polishing cassette 681 is equipped with a polishing cloth 682 for polishing the circulating game balls B. If the polishing cloth 682 becomes dirty, the ball polishing cassette 681 can be removed and replaced with a new ball polishing cassette 681 equipped with a clean polishing cloth 682, thereby maintaining the circulating game balls B in a clean, good condition. Furthermore, by applying the above configuration to the ball polishing cassette 681 (detachable unit), which is subject to periodic maintenance such as replacement, problems associated with attaching and detaching the detachable unit during maintenance can be minimized.

[15-2. Second technical feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-2a. Background of the second technical feature]
A gaming machine such as a pachinko machine has been proposed in which a ball launching means launches a gaming ball into a gaming area based on the digitized ball data of a player, and when a gaming ball is launched, the launched gaming ball is subtracted from the ball data. When a gaming ball is launched from the ball launching means but not delivered to the gaming area and instead collected by a foul ball collecting means, the collected gaming ball is added to the ball data (for example, Patent Document A2: JP 2020-89489 A). This technology in Patent Document A2 allows gaming balls to circulate within the gaming machine, reducing the burden on the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed.

However, with the technology of Patent Document A2, if a gaming ball launched by the ball launching means returns to the ball launching means for some reason, that gaming ball will not be collected by the foul ball collection means, and the gaming balls will remain subtracted from the ball holding data, which could result in an error with the actual number of gaming balls launched into the play area and cause a disadvantage to the player.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can eliminate discrepancies between the actual number of gaming balls launched into the gaming area and the actual number of gaming balls that return after launching.

[15-2b. Solution of the second technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
foul ball collecting means for collecting game balls that have been shot by the ball shooting means but not supplied to the game area;
A ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them to the ball shooting means again;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into data,
The ball projecting means is
The game machine has a launch rail on which the game ball to be launched is placed, and the launch rail has a length that allows only one game ball to be placed thereon;
When a new game ball is supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means while a game ball is placed on the launch rail, the game ball subsequently supplied to the launch rail is collected by the foul ball collection means.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 1, the gaming machine comprises a gaming board having a gaming area where gaming is performed using gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area of the gaming board, a foul ball recovery means for recovering gaming balls that have been launched by the ball launching means but not supplied to the gaming area, and a ball circulation means for recovering gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming machine is configured to launch gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player, the ball launching means having a launch rail on which the gaming ball to be launched is placed, the launch rail being long enough to accommodate only one gaming ball, and if a new gaming ball is supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means while a gaming ball is placed on the launch rail, the gaming ball later supplied to the launch rail is collected by the foul ball recovery means (see the descriptions in chapters [4-2. Ball Launching Unit] and [7-4. Launch Control Processing], Figures 27 and 76, etc. in [Form for Implementing the Invention]).

In this gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine), gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the playing area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (e.g., the number of balls held is one or more). Since the length of the launch rail in the ball launching means is long enough to accommodate only one gaming ball, if a launched gaming ball returns to the launching rail for some reason, and a next gaming ball is already on the launching rail, the ball on the launching rail can bounce the returning gaming ball, making it a foul ball. On the other hand, if a launched gaming ball returns before the next gaming ball is placed on the launching rail, the returning gaming ball will be placed on the launching rail, but the next gaming ball supplied from the ball circulation means can be bounced by the returning gaming ball on the launching rail, making it a foul ball. Therefore, the player's ball data is subtracted when a ball is launched from the launch rail, but even if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail, since only one game ball can be placed on the launch rail, either the returning game ball or the next game ball will become a foul ball and be collected by the foul ball collection means. Therefore, by adding to the ball data when a foul ball is detected, the ball data can be returned to the state it was in before being launched, eliminating any discrepancy with the actual number of game balls launched into the play area and preventing the player from suffering any disadvantages.

Incidentally, because the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, there is a risk that the ball may fall off the launch rail due to vibrations, etc. However, if a game ball falls from the launch rail when there is ball-in-hold data, it may be mistakenly recognized as having been launched as a result of the fall, and the ball-in-hold data (number of balls in play) may be deducted. However, as described above, once the ball is recovered by the foul ball recovery means, it is treated as a foul ball and added to the ball-in-hold data, restoring it to the state it was in before the fall. On the other hand, if there is no ball-in-hold data (number of balls in play) and a game ball falls from the launch rail and is recovered by the foul ball recovery means, it may not be added to the ball-in-hold data, or an alarm may be sounded to the amusement hall where the gaming machine is installed.

The ball circulation means may also be configured to supply one game ball to the launch rail after the ball launch means launches a game ball. This ensures that when a game ball is launched from the launch rail, the ball circulation means always supplies one game ball to the launch rail. Therefore, even if the launched game ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, it can be deflected by the game ball supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means, turning it into a foul ball, thereby reliably providing a gaming machine that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, when the ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball is launched, the launch of the game ball by the ball launch means and the supply of the game ball to the ball launch means (launch rail) by the ball circulation means can be carried out as a continuous operation. Therefore, the load on the control of the gaming machine can be reduced compared to, for example, when it is determined whether the launched game ball has returned to the launch rail based on the presence or absence of a game ball on the launch rail, the operation of the ball launch means and ball circulation means, etc. (when this determination is made by programming).

The gaming machine may further comprise a ball subtraction means that subtracts one ball from the ball held data when the number of balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while ball held data exists, and a ball addition means that adds one ball to the ball held data when a ball is collected by the foul collection means. In this way, when a player has ball held data (a state in which the number of balls held is one or more) and the ball is launched toward the play area of the game board by the ball launching means, the ball subtraction means subtracts one ball from the ball held data, and the ball is supplied to the play area, allowing the player to enjoy playing with the ball. On the other hand, if the game ball shot by the ball shooting means is not supplied to the game area, it is collected as a foul ball by the foul ball collecting means, and one game ball is added to the ball held data by the ball held adding means, so the player is not disadvantaged by the game ball not being supplied to the game area and can continue to enjoy the game. Furthermore, if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, because the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, if the next game ball is already placed on the launch rail, the game ball placed on the launch rail can bounce the returning game ball, making it a foul ball. The returning game ball can be placed on the launch rail, or the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation means can return and be bounced by the placed game ball, making it a foul ball. Since both are foul balls, the held ball adding means can add one game ball to the held ball data, returning the held ball data to its state before launch, eliminating any discrepancies with the actual number of game balls launched into the game area.

Foul ball recovery means may also be used to recover game balls that have fallen from the launch rail. This allows game balls that have fallen from the launch rail to be recovered by the foul ball recovery means. Therefore, if a game ball that has been launched and returned, or the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation means, is bounced off a game ball placed on the launch rail, it can be recovered by the foul ball recovery means, and can be added to the ball holding data as a foul ball, ensuring the provision of a gaming machine that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, when game balls that have fallen from the launch rail are collected by the foul ball collection means, even if a game ball falls from the launch rail due to vibration or the like, by being collected by the foul ball collection means, the ball can be added to the ball data as a foul ball and restored to the state before it fell, so the player will not be at a disadvantage.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The ball circulation means is
After the ball launching means launches the game ball, one game ball is supplied to the launching rail.

According to the configuration of means 2, the ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the ball launching means launches the game ball (see chapter 7-4. Launch control processing and the description in Figure 76, etc., in the "Form for implementing the invention").

As a result, when a gaming ball is launched from the launch rail, the ball circulation means always supplies one gaming ball to the launch rail. Therefore, even if a launched gaming ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, it can be deflected by the gaming ball supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means, turning it into a foul ball, thereby reliably providing a gaming machine that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, since it is possible to perform a series of operations, namely the launching of gaming balls by the ball launching means and the supply of gaming balls to the ball launching means (launch rail) by the ball circulation means, the load on the control of the gaming machine can be reduced compared to, for example, determining whether a launched gaming ball has returned to the launch rail based on the presence or absence of gaming balls on the launch rail, the operation of the ball launching means and ball circulation means, etc. (when this determination is made by programming).

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"When the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while the game ball data exists, a ball subtraction means subtracts one game ball from the game ball data;
a ball-holding adding means for adding one ball to the ball-holding data when the ball is collected by the foul collecting means;
It is characterized in that it further comprises:

According to the configuration of means 3, the gaming machine is further provided with a ball subtraction means that subtracts one ball from the ball held data when the number of balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while there is ball held data, and a ball addition means that adds one ball to the ball held data when a ball is collected by the foul collection means (see the descriptions in chapters [7-2. Ball held subtraction processing] and [7-3. Ball held addition processing], Figures 71 and 73, etc., in [Embodiment for carrying out the invention]).

As a result, when a game ball is launched toward the game area of the game board using the ball launching means and there is ball data for the player (the number of balls held is one or more), the ball subtraction means subtracts one ball from the ball data, and the game ball is supplied to the game area, allowing the player to enjoy playing with the game ball. On the other hand, if a game ball launched by the ball launching means is not supplied to the game area, it is collected by the foul ball collection means as a foul ball, and one game ball is added to the ball data by the ball addition means, so the player is not disadvantaged by the game ball not being supplied to the game area and can continue to enjoy playing. Furthermore, if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, because the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, if the next game ball is already placed on the launch rail, the game ball placed on the launch rail can bounce the returning game ball, making it a foul ball. The returning game ball can be placed on the launch rail, or the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation means can return and be bounced by the placed game ball, making it a foul ball. Since both are foul balls, the held ball adding means can add one game ball to the held ball data, returning the held ball data to its state before launch, eliminating any discrepancies with the actual number of game balls launched into the game area.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The foul ball recovery means is
It is possible to recover game balls that fall from the launch rail.
It is characterized by being something.

Means 4 are configured so that the foul ball recovery means can recover game balls that have fallen from the launch rail (see the description of the ball launch unit 550 and foul unit 570 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, game balls that fall from the launch rail are collected by the foul ball collection means, so when a game ball that has been launched and returned or the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation means is bounced off a game ball placed on the launch rail, it can be collected by the foul ball collection means and added to the ball holding data as a foul ball, ensuring the provision of a gaming machine that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, game balls that fall from the launch rail are collected by a foul ball collection means. Even if a game ball falls from the launch rail due to vibration or the like, it is collected by the foul ball collection means, and is added to the ball data as a foul ball, restoring it to the state it was in before it fell, so the player is not at a disadvantage.

In addition, if there is no ball data (number of balls held is 0) and a game ball falls from the launch rail and is collected by the foul ball collection means, it may not be added to the ball data, or an alarm may be issued to the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed.

Means 5: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means that can supply game balls to the game area of the game board and has a launching rail on which the game balls to be launched are placed;
foul ball recovery means for recovering game balls that have been shot by the ball shooting means but not supplied to the game area, and game balls that have fallen from the shooting rail;
A ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them to the ball shooting means again;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into data,
a ball holding subtraction means for subtracting one game ball from the ball holding data when the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while the ball holding data exists;
a ball-in-possession adding means for adding one ball to the ball-in-possession data when the ball is collected by the foul collecting means;
Further comprising:
The launch rail has a length that allows only one game ball to be placed thereon,
The ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball is launched by the ball launch means,
When a new game ball is supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means while a game ball is placed on the launch rail, the game ball subsequently supplied to the launch rail is collected by the foul ball collection means.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the gaming machine comprises a gaming board having a play area where games are played with gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the play area of the gaming board and having a launching rail on which the gaming balls to be launched are placed, a foul ball recovery means for recovering gaming balls that have been launched by the ball launching means but not supplied to the play area and gaming balls that have fallen from the launching rail, and a ball circulation means for recovering gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming machine is configured to launch gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player, and when the ball data is available, The system further includes a ball subtraction means that subtracts one game ball from the ball held data when the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent, and a ball addition means that adds one game ball to the ball held data when a game ball is collected by the foul ball collection means. The launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, and the ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the ball launching means launches a game ball. If a new game ball is supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means while a game ball is placed on the launch rail, the game ball subsequently supplied to the launch rail is collected by the foul ball collection means.

As a result, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, managed gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and the balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (for example, the number of balls held is one or more), when a gaming ball is launched by the ball launching means toward the gaming area of the gaming board when the player's ball holding data is available (the number of balls held is one or more), one gaming ball is subtracted from the ball holding data by the ball holding subtraction means, and the gaming ball is supplied to the gaming area, allowing the player to enjoy playing with the gaming balls. On the other hand, if a game ball launched by the ball launching means is not supplied to the game area, it is collected as a foul ball by the foul ball collection means, and one game ball is added to the ball held data by the ball held counting means. Therefore, the player is not disadvantaged by the game ball not being supplied to the game area, and can continue to enjoy the game.

If a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, because the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, if the next game ball has already been placed on the launch rail by the ball circulation means, the returning game ball will be bounced off the game ball placed on the launch rail and fall from the launch rail, and will be collected by the foul ball collection means as a foul ball. On the other hand, if the launched game ball returns before the next game ball is placed on the launch rail by the ball circulation means, the returning game ball will be placed on the launch rail, but the next game ball supplied by the ball circulation means will be bounced off the game ball placed on the launch rail, falling from the launch rail and being collected by the foul ball collection means as a foul ball. Therefore, when a game ball is launched from the launch rail, the held ball subtraction means subtracts one game ball from the player's held ball data. However, even if the launched game ball returns to the launch rail, since only one game ball can be placed on the launch rail, either the returning game ball or the next game ball will become a foul ball and be collected by the foul ball collection means. Therefore, the held ball addition means adds one game ball to the held ball data, returning the held ball data to its state before launch. This eliminates the error with the actual number of game balls launched into the play area and prevents the player from suffering any disadvantages.

In addition, once a gaming ball is launched from the launch rail, the ball circulation means always supplies one gaming ball to the launch rail. Therefore, even if a launched gaming ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, it can be deflected by the gaming ball supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means, turning it into a foul ball, thereby reliably providing a gaming machine that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, the ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball is launched, making it possible to perform a series of operations: the launch of a game ball by the ball launch means and the supply of the game ball to the ball launch means (launch rail) by the ball circulation means. This reduces the load on the gaming machine's control compared to, for example, determining whether a launched game ball has returned to the launch rail based on the presence or absence of a game ball on the launch rail, the operation of the ball launch means and ball circulation means, etc. (when this determination is made by programming).

Furthermore, because the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, there is a risk that the game ball may fall off the launch rail due to vibrations, etc. However, if a game ball falls off the launch rail due to vibrations, etc. while there is ball data (one or more balls in hand), it may be mistakenly recognized as having been launched as a result of the fall, and the ball data (number of balls in hand) may be deducted. However, if the ball is collected by the foul ball collection means, one game ball can be added to the ball data as a foul ball by the ball collection means, restoring the state before the ball fell, and the player will not be at a disadvantage.

In addition, since the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one gaming ball, if a gaming ball falls from the launch rail and is collected by the foul ball collection means when there is no ball-held data (when the number of balls held is 0), the ball-held counting means may be configured to not add the gaming ball to the ball-held data, or an alarm may be sounded to the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can eliminate errors between the actual number of gaming balls launched into the gaming area and the actual number of gaming balls that return after being launched.

[15-2c. Relationship between the solution of the second technical feature and the embodiment]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball launching pad 552b of the ball launching unit 550 in this embodiment corresponds to the launch rail of the above-mentioned solution means, the foul unit 570 in this embodiment corresponds to the foul ball recovery means of the above-mentioned solution means, the circulating ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, and ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulating means of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball possession subtraction processing in the frame control board 740 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball possession subtraction means of the above-mentioned solution means, and the ball possession addition processing in the frame control board 740 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball possession addition means of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-2d. Characteristic effects of the second technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550, which launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the player's ball holding data (the number of balls held is one or more). In this pachinko machine 1 (a so-called enclosed game machine, a managed game machine), when the ball launching unit 550 launches the game ball B toward the game area 5a of the game board 5 when the player has ball holding data (the number of balls held is one or more), one game ball B is subtracted from the ball holding data by a ball holding subtraction process, and the game ball B is supplied to the game area 5a, allowing the player to enjoy playing with the game ball B. On the other hand, if the game ball B launched by the ball launching unit 550 is not supplied to the game area 5a, it is collected by the foul unit 570 as a foul ball, and one game ball B is added to the ball holding data by the ball holding addition process, so the player will not suffer any disadvantage for the game ball B not being supplied to the game area 5a, and can continue to enjoy the game.

If the launched game ball B returns to ball launch pad 552b for some reason, because ball launch pad 552b is long enough to accommodate only one game ball B, if the next game ball B has already been placed on ball launch pad 552b by ball sending unit 700, the returning game ball B will be bounced off by the game ball B placed on ball launch pad 552b, fall from ball launch pad 552b, and be collected by foul unit 570 as a foul ball. On the other hand, if the launched game ball B returns before the next game ball B is placed on ball launch pad 552b by ball sending unit 700, the returning game ball B will be placed on ball launch pad 552b, but the next game ball B supplied from ball sending unit 700 will be bounced off by the game ball B placed on ball launch pad 552b, fall from ball launch pad 552b, and be collected by foul unit 570 as a foul ball. Therefore, when a game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b, one game ball B is subtracted from the player's held ball data by the held ball subtraction process. However, even if the launched game ball B returns to the launch rail, since only one game ball B is placed on ball launch pad 552b, either the returning game ball B or the next game ball B becomes a foul ball and is collected by foul unit 570. Therefore, one game ball B is added to the held ball data by the held ball addition process, returning the held ball data to the state it was in before launch, eliminating the error with the actual number of game balls B launched into game area 5a and preventing the player from suffering any disadvantages.

In addition, when a game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b, the ball sending unit 700 is always configured to supply one game ball B to ball launch pad 552b. Therefore, even if a launched game ball B returns to ball launch pad 552b for some reason, it can be deflected by the game ball B supplied to ball launch pad 552b by ball sending unit 700, turning it into a foul ball, thereby reliably providing a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, after the ball sending unit 700 launches a game ball B, it supplies one game ball B to the ball launching pad 552b. The launching of game ball B by the ball launching unit 550 and the supply of game ball B to the ball launching pad 552b by the ball sending unit 700 are performed as a series of operations. This reduces the load on the control of the pachinko machine 1 compared to, for example, determining whether the launched game ball B has returned to the ball launching pad 552b based on the presence or absence of game ball B at the ball launching pad 552b, the operation of the ball launching unit 550 and the ball sending unit 700, etc. (when this determination is made by programming).

Furthermore, because ball launch pad 552b is long enough to accommodate only one game ball B, there is a risk that game ball B may fall from ball launch pad 552b due to vibrations, etc. However, if game ball B falls from ball launch pad 552b due to vibrations, etc. while there is ball data (when the number of balls held is 1 or more), it may be mistakenly recognized as having been launched as a result of the fall, and even if the ball data (number of balls held) is subtracted, it will be collected by foul unit 570, and one game ball B will be added to the ball data as a foul ball using the ball holding addition process, returning it to the state before the ball fell, so the player will not be at a disadvantage.

In addition, if there is no ball data (number of balls held is 0) and game ball B falls from ball launcher 552b and is collected by foul unit 570, the game ball B may not be added to the ball data by the ball holding addition process, or an alarm may be issued to the gaming hall where pachinko machine 1 is installed.

[15-3. Third technical feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-3a. Background of the third technical feature]
A gaming machine such as a pachinko machine has been proposed that includes a main frame that detachably supports a gaming board, a ball circulation means that is provided on the main frame and that circulates gaming balls within the gaming machine, and a base unit that is attached to the rear surface of the main frame below the gaming board (for example, Patent Document A3: JP 2015-188537 A). According to the technology of Patent Document A3, the base unit that has a control board that controls the ball circulation means and the like is provided below the gaming board, making it possible to make maximum use of the depth direction of the gaming board and further differentiate it from other gaming machines.

However, with technology such as that described in Patent Document A3, part of the ball circulation means is located between the rear surface of the main body frame and the base unit, which means that the base unit must be removed in order to check or maintain that part, resulting in the problem of time-consuming maintenance. To address this issue, it is conceivable to make the rear unit, such as the base unit, openable and closable relative to the main body frame, thereby eliminating the need for removal and improving maintainability, but there is a risk that forgetting to close the rear unit could cause a malfunction.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that can prevent the rear unit, which is openable and closable at the rear of the main frame, from being left open during maintenance, etc.

[15-3b. Solution of the third technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A main frame detachably supports a game board having a game area where games are played with game balls from the front,
A rear cover that can be opened and closed rearward relative to the main body frame so as to cover the game board supported by the main body frame from the rear;
A ball launching means is provided on the main body frame and is capable of supplying game balls to the game area;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The game machine further includes a rear unit that can be opened and closed rearward at a position below the game board on the rear surface of the main body frame,
The rear unit is arranged so as to interfere with the rear cover when an attempt is made to close the rear cover onto the main body frame while the rear unit is open from the main body frame.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "rear unit" refers to a "board unit having a frame control board for controlling the ball launching means, ball circulation means, etc., and a power supply board for supplying power," "a ball passage unit that forms part of the ball path in the ball circulation means," "a speaker unit having a speaker," "a protective cover that protects the rear side of the board, passage components, etc.", etc.

According to the configuration of means 1, the gaming machine comprises a main frame that detachably supports from the front a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played with gaming balls; a rear cover that can be opened and closed rearward relative to the main frame so as to cover the gaming board supported by the main frame from the rear; a ball launching means that is attached to the main frame and capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area; and a ball circulation means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means. The gaming machine launches gaming balls using the ball launching means based on digitized ball data held by a player. The gaming machine further comprises a rear unit that can be opened and closed rearward at a position below the gaming board on the rear surface of the main frame, and the rear unit is arranged so as to interfere with the rear cover when an attempt is made to close the rear cover on the main frame while it is open from the main frame (see chapter [4-8. Frame Base Unit], Figures 63 to 65, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows gaming machines (so-called enclosed gaming machines, controlled gaming machines) to retrieve gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board and supply them to the ball launching means using a ball circulation means, while also launching gaming balls from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (e.g., the number of balls held is one or more). Because the rear unit is located below the gaming board on the rear surface of the main frame, replacing the components located behind the gaming board in conventional gaming machines with the rear unit of this configuration allows the gaming board to be made wider in the depth direction by the amount of this component. This allows the gaming machine to be differentiated from other gaming machines as a gaming machine with a wider gaming board in the depth direction and provides a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players. Furthermore, because the rear unit is openable, opening the rear unit allows for viewing and maintenance of the components located in front of the rear unit on the rear surface of the main frame, the front side of the rear unit, etc., improving the ease of maintenance and other operations. At this time, the rear unit and rear cover interfere (abut) with each other, so when performing maintenance, the rear cover must be opened first, then the rear unit, and when maintenance is complete, the rear unit must be closed before the rear cover is closed. Therefore, if an attempt is made to close the rear cover covering the rear of the game board while the rear unit is open relative to the main frame, the unclosed rear unit and the rear cover will interfere with each other; in other words, the unclosed rear unit will prevent the rear cover from being closed. This makes it clear that the rear unit is not closed, preventing players from forgetting to close it during maintenance, etc.

In addition, because the rear unit and the back cover are designed to interfere with each other, even if the rear unit tries to open from the main frame due to vibration or other reasons during play, the rear cover interferes (is prevented) with the rear unit, preventing it from opening too wide and preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening.

It is desirable that the rear unit be designed so that at least a portion of the ball circulation means is visible from behind when it is opened from the main frame. This makes it possible to check and maintain the area of the ball circulation means between the main frame and the rear unit by opening the rear unit from the main frame, making it easier to resolve any problems with the ball circulation means. Furthermore, even if you forget to close the rear unit from the main frame after maintenance, etc., when you try to close the rear cover, the unclosed rear unit and the rear cover will interfere (abut) and prevent the unit from closing, making you aware that the rear unit is not closed and preventing you from forgetting to close it during maintenance, etc.

The gaming machine may also be equipped with a locking device that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position and that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed when moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed to the main frame. The locking device may be configured to move to the locked position when the rear cover is closed to the main frame while the rear unit is in the unlocked position and closed to the main frame. This prevents the rear unit from opening or closing when the locking device is moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed to the main frame. This prevents the rear unit from opening unintentionally due to vibration or other reasons, preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening. Furthermore, even if the locking device is forgotten to be used after closing the rear unit to the main frame at the end of maintenance, the locking device can be moved to the locked position by closing the back cover, preventing forgetting to lock.

Furthermore, when a locking means such as the one described above is provided, the locking means is designed to move between a locked position and an unlocked position, so by checking the position of the locking means, it is easy to determine whether or not the door is locked, preventing users from forgetting to lock it.

The gaming machine may further include a frame-shaped outer frame that supports the main frame so that it can be opened and closed forward, and the rear cover may be configured to interfere with the outer frame when the main frame is open relative to the outer frame and the rear cover is open relative to the main frame and the main frame is closed. This allows the rear side of the main frame to be seen when the main frame is opened forward relative to the outer frame with the outer frame attached to the island equipment in the gaming hall. In this state, opening the rear cover allows the rear side of the game board to be seen. Furthermore, opening the rear unit allows the components between the main frame and the rear unit to be seen, improving the ease of inspection and maintenance. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to close the rear cover without closing the rear unit when closing the main frame relative to the outer frame, the rear cover will interfere with (abut against) the rear unit and prevent the unit from being closed. This alerts the user that the rear unit has been left closed, preventing the rear unit from being forgotten to be closed. Furthermore, if you try to close the main frame against the outer frame when the rear cover is open with the rear unit closed, or when both the rear unit and rear cover are open, the rear cover will interfere with (contact with) the outer frame and prevent closing, making you aware that the rear cover is open and preventing you from forgetting to close it.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The rear unit is
By opening the main body frame, at least a part of the ball circulation means can be seen from behind.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 2, the rear unit is designed to open from the main frame so that at least a portion of the ball circulation means can be seen from behind (see the descriptions of the circulation ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, frame base unit 730, etc. in the "Description of the Invention").

This means that by opening the rear unit relative to the main frame, the area between the main frame and rear unit in the ball circulation means can be checked and maintained, making it easier to resolve any problems with the ball circulation means. Furthermore, even if you forget to close the rear unit relative to the main frame after maintenance, when you try to close the rear cover, the unclosed rear unit and the rear cover will interfere (abut) and prevent the unit from closing. This makes you aware that the rear unit is not closed, preventing you from forgetting to close it during maintenance, etc.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The invention further includes a locking means that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed when the locking means is moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed relative to the main body frame.
The locking means is
When the rear cover is closed against the main body frame in the released position and the rear unit is closed against the main body frame, the rear cover is configured to move to the locked position.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "locking means" include "one that is fixed by pushing the operating part into the locked position when the rear cover abuts against it and expanding the diameter of the tip (e.g., a Nylatch)," "one that has a locking piece that is rotatably supported at one end and rotates from the unlocked position to the locked position when the rear cover abuts against the other end," "one that has a pressing piece that presses the rear unit against the main frame when it moves from the unlocked position to the locked position when the rear cover abuts against it," "one that has a locking pin that is inserted into the rear unit or main frame from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction when it moves from the unlocked position to the locked position when the rear cover abuts against it," and "one that slides from the unlocked position to the locked position when the rear cover abuts against it."

According to the configuration of means 3, the gaming machine is further equipped with locking means that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed when moved to the locked position with the rear unit closed to the main frame. The locking means is configured to move to the locked position when the rear cover is closed to the main frame in the unlocked position and with the rear unit closed to the main frame (see the description of the rear cover 505 and Nylatch 774 in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, when the locking means is moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed relative to the main frame, the rear unit can be locked so that it cannot be opened or closed. This prevents the rear unit from opening on its own due to vibration or other reasons, preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening. Furthermore, even if you forget to lock the rear unit with the locking means after closing it relative to the main frame at the end of maintenance, for example, you can close the rear cover to move the locking means to the locked position, preventing you from forgetting to lock.

In addition, the locking means moves between a locked position and an unlocked position, so by checking the position of the locking means, you can easily determine whether it is locked or not, preventing you from forgetting to lock it.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The device further includes a frame-shaped outer frame that supports the main body frame so that it can be opened and closed forward,
The back cover is
The main frame is open relative to the outer frame, and the rear cover is open relative to the main frame, and when an attempt is made to close the main frame onto the outer frame, the rear cover is arranged to interfere with the outer frame.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 4, the gaming machine is further provided with a frame-shaped outer frame that supports the main frame so that it can be opened and closed forward, and the rear cover is arranged so as to interfere with the outer frame when an attempt is made to close the main frame onto the outer frame while the main frame is open relative to the outer frame and the rear cover is also open relative to the main frame (see the description of the rear cover 505 in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, when the main frame is opened forward relative to the outer frame while the outer frame is attached to the island equipment in the gaming hall, the rear side of the main frame can be seen. In this state, opening the rear cover allows the rear side of the gaming board to be seen. Furthermore, opening the rear unit allows the components between the main frame and the rear unit to be seen, improving the ease of inspection and maintenance. Furthermore, when closing the main frame relative to the outer frame, if an attempt is made to close the rear cover without closing the rear unit, the rear cover will interfere with (abut against) the rear unit and prevent the unit from being closed. This alerts the user to the possibility of forgetting to close the rear unit, preventing the rear unit from being forgotten. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to close the main frame relative to the outer frame with the rear unit closed and the rear cover open, or with both the rear unit and the back cover open, the back cover will interfere with (abut against) the outer frame and prevent the unit from being closed. This alerts the user to the fact that the back cover is open, preventing the back cover from being forgotten to be closed.

Means 5: In the gaming machine,
"A frame-shaped outer frame,
a main body frame that is supported on the outer frame so as to be able to open and close forward, and that detachably supports a game board from the front, the game board having a game area where a game is played using game balls;
A rear cover that can be opened and closed rearward relative to the main body frame so as to cover the game board supported by the main body frame from the rear;
A ball launching means is provided on the main body frame and is capable of supplying game balls to the game area;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
A rear unit that can be opened and closed rearward at a position below the game board on the rear surface of the main body frame, and that can open and close rearward from the main body frame so that at least a part of the ball circulation means can be seen from behind;
a locking means that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed when the locking means is moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed relative to the main body frame;
It further comprises:
the rear unit is provided so as to interfere with the rear cover when an attempt is made to close the rear cover on the main body frame while the rear unit is open from the main body frame,
the locking means is configured to move to the locking position when the rear cover is closed against the main body frame in a state where the rear unit is closed against the main body frame at the release position,
The rear cover is provided so as to interfere with the outer frame when an attempt is made to close the main frame onto the outer frame while the main frame is open relative to the outer frame and the rear cover is open relative to the main frame.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the gaming machine comprises a frame-shaped outer frame, a main frame that is supported on the outer frame so as to be able to open and close forward and that supports a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played with gaming balls in a detachable manner from the front, a rear cover that is provided so as to be able to open and close backward relative to the main frame so as to cover the gaming board supported on the main frame from the rear, a ball launching means that is provided on the main frame and is capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area, and a ball circulation means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming machine launches gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player, and the rear cover is provided on the rear surface of the main frame below the gaming board so as to be able to open and close backward, and by opening it from the main frame, at least the ball circulation means The device further includes a rear unit, part of which is visible from behind, and a locking means that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position and that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed when moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed relative to the main frame. The rear unit is arranged so that it interferes with the rear cover when an attempt is made to close the rear cover onto the main frame while the rear unit is open from the main frame. The locking means is arranged so that it moves to the locked position when the rear cover is closed onto the main frame while in the unlocked position and the rear unit is closed relative to the main frame. The rear cover is arranged so that it interferes with the outer frame when an attempt is made to close the main frame onto the outer frame while the main frame is open relative to the outer frame and the back cover is open relative to the main frame.

As a result, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine) in which gaming balls fired from a ball firing means that fires gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball firing means, and gaming balls are fired from the ball firing means based on the player's ball data (for example, the number of balls held is 1 or more), the rear unit is provided below the gaming board on the rear surface of the main frame, so by using the component provided behind the gaming board in conventional gaming machines as the rear unit of this configuration, the depth direction of the gaming board can be increased by the amount of this component, making it possible to further differentiate the gaming machine from other gaming machines as a gaming machine with a gaming board that is wide in the depth direction, and providing a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players. With this gaming machine, when the outer frame is attached to the island equipment in the gaming hall, the rear of the main frame can be seen by opening the main frame forward relative to the outer frame. In this state, opening the back cover allows the rear of the gaming board to be seen. Furthermore, by opening the rear unit, it is possible to see and perform maintenance on the area between the main frame and the rear unit in the ball circulation means, the components located in front of the rear unit on the rear surface of the main frame, the front side of the rear unit, etc., improving the ease of maintenance work.

When closing the main frame against the outer frame, if you try to close the rear cover without closing the rear unit, the rear cover will interfere with (abut) the rear unit and prevent it from closing, making you aware that you've forgotten to close the rear unit and preventing you from forgetting to close it. Furthermore, if you try to close the main frame against the outer frame with the rear unit closed and the rear cover open, or with both the rear unit and the rear cover open, the rear cover will interfere with (abut) the outer frame and prevent it from closing, making you aware that the rear cover is open and preventing you from forgetting to close it. This makes it possible to prevent you from forgetting to close the rear unit or rear cover during maintenance, etc.

In addition, because the rear unit and the rear cover are designed to interfere with (abut against) each other, even if the rear unit tries to open from the main frame due to vibration or other reasons during play, the rear cover interferes (is prevented) and the rear unit is prevented from opening too wide, preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening.

In addition, when the locking means is moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed relative to the main frame, the rear unit can be locked so that it cannot be opened or closed. This prevents the rear unit from opening on its own due to vibration or other reasons, preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening. Even if you forget to lock the rear unit with the locking means after closing it relative to the main frame after completing maintenance, for example, you can close the rear cover to move the locking means to the locked position, preventing you from forgetting to lock.

Furthermore, the locking means moves between a locked position and an unlocked position, so by checking the position of the locking means, you can easily determine whether it is locked or not, preventing you from forgetting to lock it.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that prevents the rear unit, which is openable and closable at the rear of the main frame, from being left open during maintenance, etc.

[15-3c. Relationship between the solution of the third technical feature and embodiments]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above-mentioned solution means, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulating means of the above-mentioned solution means, the frame base unit 730 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear unit of the above-mentioned solution means, the Nylatch 774 in this embodiment corresponds to the locking means of the above-mentioned solution means, and the rear cover 505 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear cover of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-3d. Characteristic effects of the third technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550, which launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the ball data of the player (the number of balls held is 1 or more). In this pachinko machine 1 (a so-called enclosed game machine, a managed game machine), Since a frame base unit 730 serving as a rear unit is provided at a position below the game board 5 on the rear surface of the main body frame 4, the component provided at the rear of the game board in conventional pachinko machines is replaced by the frame base unit 730 of this embodiment, and the depth direction of the game board 5 can be increased by the amount of this component, making it possible to further differentiate the pachinko machine 1 from other pachinko machines as a pachinko machine 1 having a game board 5 that is wide in the depth direction, and making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players. In this pachinko machine 1, when the outer frame 2 is attached to the island equipment of the gaming hall, and the main frame 4 is opened forward relative to the outer frame 2, the rear side of the main frame 4 can be seen, and when the rear cover 505 is opened in this state, the rear side of the gaming board 5 can be seen, and furthermore, when the frame base unit 730 is opened, the main frame speaker 503, main frame speaker box 504, circulating ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, front side of the frame base unit 730, etc. can be seen and maintained, thereby improving the workability involved in maintenance, etc.

When closing the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2, if an attempt is made to close the rear cover 505 without closing the frame substrate unit 730, the rear cover 505 will interfere with (abut) the frame substrate unit 730 and prevent the unit from closing. This alerts the user to the fact that the frame substrate unit 730 has been left closed, thereby preventing the unit from being left closed. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to close the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2 with the frame substrate unit 730 closed and the rear cover 505 open, or with both the frame substrate unit 730 and the rear cover 505 open, the rear cover 505 will interfere with (abut) the outer frame 2 and prevent the unit from being closed. This alerts the user to the fact that the rear cover 505, etc. is open, preventing the unit from being left closed. This prevents the unit from forgetting to close the frame substrate unit 730 or the rear cover 505 during maintenance, etc.

In addition, because the frame base unit 730 and the back cover 505 are designed to interfere with (abut against) each other, even if the frame base unit 730 attempts to open from the main frame 4 due to vibration or other reasons during play, it will interfere with (be prevented from opening by) the back cover 505, preventing the frame base unit 730 from opening too far, and preventing malfunctions caused by the frame base unit 730 opening.

In addition, when the frame substrate unit 730 is closed relative to the main body frame 4, pressing the Nylatch 774 (locking mechanism) to move it to the locked position locks the frame substrate unit 730 so that it cannot be opened or closed. This prevents the frame substrate unit 730 from opening on its own due to vibration or other reasons, preventing malfunctions caused by the frame substrate unit 730 opening. Even if you forget to lock the frame substrate unit 730 with the Nylatch 774 after closing it relative to the main body frame 4 after completing maintenance, for example, you can close the rear cover 505 to move the Nylatch 774 to the locked position, preventing you from forgetting to lock.

Furthermore, the Nylatch 774, which serves as the locking device, moves between a locked position and an unlocked position. Therefore, by checking the position of the Nylatch 774's operating part 774a, it is easy to determine whether or not the device is locked, preventing users from forgetting to lock it.

[15-4. Fourth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-4a. Background of the fourth technical feature]
In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, a ball sensor with a detection hole is provided in the ball passageway extending vertically through which the gaming balls flow, to detect the gaming balls flowing through the ball passageway (for example, Patent Document A4: JP 2016-96868 A).

However, if a ball sensor with a detection hole like that in Patent Document A4 is installed in a part of the ball passage where game balls flow left and right (or front and back), the passage will narrow at the detection hole, which could reduce the flow speed of the game balls or cause them to become clogged. Therefore, it is possible to consider using a photosensor without a detection hole as the ball sensor, but if the inner circumference of the ball passage is square, game balls will tend to swing in the width direction of the ball passage, and as the game balls frequently come into contact with the side walls, the sides will become worn and scratched, making it easier for dirt and dust to accumulate. This dirt, etc., can interfere with the light reception and emission of the photosensor, resulting in false detection.

Therefore, in consideration of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can reduce false detection of gaming balls circulating through the ball passage.

[15-4b. Solution of the fourth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into data,
The ball circulation means is
a ball passage through which game balls are distributed;
A photosensor for detecting game balls circulating through the ball passage,
The ball passage is
At least the portion where the photosensor is installed is arranged so as to contact the gaming ball at two points below the center of the gaming ball.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of the part of the ball passage that "contacts the gaming ball at two points below its center" include "a pair of inclined surfaces that slope upward so that the distance between them increases (such as a V-shaped cross section or an inverted trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward)" and "a pair of protrusions that extend in the direction of flow at a distance narrower than the diameter of the gaming machine."

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine comprising a gaming board having a play area where games are played with gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the play area of the gaming board, and a ball circulating means for recovering gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them back to the ball launching means. The gaming machine launches gaming balls using the ball launching means based on digitized ball data held by a player. The ball circulating means has a ball passage through which the gaming balls circulate and a photosensor for detecting gaming balls circulating in the ball passage. The ball passage is arranged so that at least the portion where the photosensor is located makes contact with the gaming balls at two points below their centers (see Chapter 4-5. Ball Lifting Unit, Figures 57 and 58, etc., in [Embodiment 1]).

As a result, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the playing area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (e.g., the number of balls held is one or more), the gaming balls contact at least the photosensor portion of the ball passage through which the gaming ball flows at two points below the center. This prevents the gaming ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passage at the photosensor portion, preventing the gaming ball from contacting the sidewall of the ball passage, which could wear or scratch the sidewall and cause dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, since dirt, dust, and other contaminants in the ball passage can be reduced as much as possible, it is possible to prevent false detections caused by dirt, etc. impeding the light reception and emission of the photosensor, and it is possible to provide a gaming machine that is capable of reducing false detections of gaming balls flowing through the ball passage.

In addition, at least at the location of the photosensor in the ball passage, the gaming ball does not swing in the width direction of the ball passage, so the positional relationship between the photosensor and the gaming ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of gaming balls circulating through the ball passage.

The ball passage may also have a first-shaped passage section provided at least in the area where the photosensor is provided, with a pair of inclined surfaces that the gaming ball comes into contact with and that are inclined so that the distance between them increases as they move upward. This causes the gaming ball to come into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces in the first-shaped passage section in the ball passage where the photosensor is provided, thereby reducing wear and scratches on the contact points caused by the gaming ball compared to when the gaming ball comes into contact with a pair of protrusions, preventing the generation of dirt such as dust and debris and reducing false detection of the gaming ball by the photosensor.

Furthermore, as described above, when a first-shaped passage section is provided in the ball passage, a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the first-shaped passage section of the ball passage. Therefore, even if dirt such as dust or debris is generated due to contact with the gaming ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the gaming ball, thereby reducing the impact of the dirt on the photosensor and preventing dirt from adhering to the gaming ball.

The ball passage may also have an opening located upstream of the location where the photosensor is located, opening downward and large enough so as not to interfere with the flow of game balls. This allows dirt, dust, and other contaminants in the ball passage to be expelled to the outside through the opening, reducing the impact of dirt on the photosensor and reducing false detection of game balls caused by dirt in the photosensor.

Furthermore, the ball passage may have a second-shaped passage section located at least on the downstream or upstream side of the location where the photosensor is located, the second-shaped passage section having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces extending from both widthwise ends of the bottom surface. This means that at least one of the downstream or upstream sides of the location where the photosensor is located in the ball passage is a second-shaped passage section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side wall surfaces. Therefore, when multiple gaming balls stop in the second-shaped passage section, they are pushed by the gaming balls on the upstream side, causing the gaming balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple gaming balls stop in the second-shaped passage section, they are lined up in a staggered pattern, and are not lined up in a single row along the axis of the ball passage. As a result, part of the ball pressure of the game balls flowing downstream can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces they are in contact with, which reduces the ball pressure on the component holding multiple game balls compared to when they are lined up in a row on the axis, making the component less susceptible to damage and eliminating the need to reinforce the component excessively, thereby minimizing increases in the cost of the game machine.

Furthermore, if the location in the ball path where the photosensor is installed is capable of temporarily stopping the flow of game balls, the presence or absence of game balls in the location in the ball path where the game balls are stationary may be determined when the detection and non-detection times of the game balls by the photosensor exceed a predetermined threshold. Incidentally, detection of game balls at prize slots, etc., involves checking the output from the photosensor (ball sensor) at a predetermined interrupt period (e.g., 4 ms), and determining that a game ball has been detected (ON) when the output is non-detected, detected, detected (in other words, "011"). In other words, when the output from the photosensor is "011," it is determined to be ON, and when it is anything other than "011," it is determined to be OFF. However, when a photosensor installed in a location where the flow of game balls temporarily stops (a stopping area) is used to determine the presence or absence of game balls using the above-described determination method, the photosensor will only output an OFF signal if there are no game balls in the stopping area, will output many short ON signals if game balls are being supplied to the stopping area, and will output many short OFF signals if the game balls stored in the stopping area are moving one by one (the game balls are moving at the firing interval). Therefore, the above-described determination method cannot accurately determine whether there are no game balls in the stopping area. In contrast, the presence or absence of game balls is determined by the photosensor's detection and non-detection times exceeding predetermined thresholds. In other words, thresholds are set for the ON (presence) and OFF (absence) determinations, and the ON or OFF determination is made only when the thresholds are exceeded and non-detection or detection continues. That is, for example, when the output from the photosensor is "01111...", it is judged to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is judged to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably determine the presence or absence of gaming balls in the stopping section of the ball passage where multiple gaming balls are stopped.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The said spherical passage is
The first-shaped passage portion is provided at least in the area where the photosensor is provided, and has a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the distance between them increases as they go upward, with the gaming ball coming into contact with each of the inclined surfaces.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 2, the ball passage has a first-shaped passage section provided at least in the area where the photosensor is provided, with a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the distance between them increases as they move upward, with the gaming balls coming into contact with each other (see the description of the V-shaped passage section 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the V-shaped passage section 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, in the first-shaped passage section in the ball passage where the photosensor is located, the gaming ball is brought into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces, which reduces wear and scratches on the contact area caused by the gaming ball compared to when the gaming ball is brought into contact with a pair of protrusions, prevents the generation of dirt such as dust and dirt, and reduces false detection of the gaming ball by the photosensor.

In addition, because a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the first-shaped passage section of the ball passage, even if dirt such as dust or debris is generated by contact with the gaming ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the gaming ball, reducing the impact of the dirt on the photosensor and preventing dirt from adhering to the gaming ball.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The said spherical passage is
It is provided upstream of the location where the photosensor is provided, and has an opening that opens downward and is large enough not to interfere with the flow of game balls.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 3, the ball passage has an opening located upstream of the location where the photosensor is installed, and is open downward and is large enough not to interfere with the flow of game balls (see the description of the ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 and the ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 in the "Description of the Invention").

This allows dirt, dust, and other contaminants inside the ball passage to be expelled to the outside through the opening, reducing the impact of dirt on the photosensor and reducing false detection of game balls caused by dirt in the photosensor.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The said spherical passage is
The second-shaped passage portion is provided at least on either the downstream side or the upstream side of the portion where the photosensor is provided, and has a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and which has a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction.
It is characterized by being something.

However, if the ball passage is shaped so that it touches the ball at two points below its center, as mentioned above, the ball will not swing across the width of the passage. Therefore, if multiple balls are parked in the passage, they will line up in a row on the axis of the passage. This means that the large ball pressure caused by the balls will act on the component that holds the balls, making the component more susceptible to damage. Reinforcing the component to prevent damage could increase costs.

According to the configuration of means 4, the ball passage has a second-shaped passage portion located at least on the downstream or upstream side of the location where the photosensor is provided, and has a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and which is wider than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces extending from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction (see the description of the U-shaped passage portion 651b of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the U-shaped passage portion 652b of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, at least one of the downstream and upstream sides of the portion of the ball passage where the photosensor is located is a second-shaped passage section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side wall surfaces. Therefore, when multiple game balls are parked in the second-shaped passage section, they are pushed by the game balls on the upstream side, causing the game balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls are parked in the second-shaped passage section, they line up in a staggered pattern, rather than lining up in a single line on the axis of the ball passage. Therefore, because a portion of the ball pressure of the game balls toward the downstream side can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces they are contacting, the ball pressure on the component holding the multiple game balls can be reduced compared to when the game balls are lined up in a single line on the axis. This makes the component less susceptible to damage and eliminates the need to excessively reinforce the component, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

The second-shaped passage section may be provided only downstream of the photosensor, only upstream of the photosensor, or both downstream and upstream of the photosensor. In the case of a ball passage where many gaming balls are retained downstream of the photosensor, it is desirable to provide the second-shaped passage section at least downstream of the photosensor.

Means 5: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The ball circulation means is
a ball passage through which game balls are distributed;
A photosensor for detecting game balls circulating through the ball passage,
The ball passage is
A first shape passage portion is provided in the portion where the photosensor is provided, and has a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the gaming ball contacts each of them so as to contact at two points below the center of the gaming ball, and the spacing between the inclined surfaces increases as the surface moves upward;
An opening provided on the upstream side of the first shape passage portion and opening downward with a size that does not hinder the flow of game balls;
and a second-shaped passage portion provided on at least one of the downstream and upstream sides of the first-shaped passage portion, the second-shaped passage portion having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and which has a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played using gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area of the gaming board, and a ball circulating means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming balls are launched by the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player, and the ball circulating means has a ball passage through which the gaming balls circulate and a photosensor that detects gaming balls circulating in the ball passage, and the ball passage is provided in the area where the photosensor is provided, and the gaming balls are circulated by the ball launching means. The passage has a first-shaped passage section with a pair of inclined surfaces that contact the game ball at two points below the center of the game ball and that slope upward so that the distance between them increases; an opening provided upstream of the first-shaped passage section that opens downward and is large enough not to interfere with the flow of the game ball; and a second-shaped passage section provided at least on either the downstream or upstream side of the first-shaped passage section, that contacts the game ball and has a flat bottom surface with a width greater than the diameter of the game ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces extending from both widthwise ends of the bottom surface.

As a result, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (for example, the number of balls held is 1 or more), at least the portion of the photosensor in the ball passage through which the gaming balls circulate is a first-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the spacing between them increases as they go upward, and the pair of inclined surfaces allow the gaming ball to contact the ball at two points below its center, so that the gaming ball does not swing in the width direction of the ball passage at the portion of the photosensor, and it is possible to avoid the gaming ball coming into contact with the side wall of the ball passage, which would wear or scratch the side wall and cause dirt such as dust and dirt. This allows for as little dirt, dust, and other contaminants as possible within the ball passage, preventing false detections caused by dirt or other contaminants impeding the light reception and emission of the photosensor, and provides a gaming machine that can reduce false detections of gaming balls circulating through the ball passage.

Furthermore, in the first-shape passage section where the photosensor is installed in the ball passage, the gaming ball does not swing in the width direction of the ball passage, so the positional relationship between the photosensor and the gaming ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of gaming balls circulating through the ball passage.

In addition, in the first-shaped passage section where the photosensor is installed, the gaming ball is brought into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces, which reduces wear and scratches on the contact area caused by the gaming ball compared to when the gaming ball is brought into contact with a pair of protrusions, prevents the generation of dirt such as dust and dirt, and reduces false detection of the gaming ball by the photosensor.

Furthermore, a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the first-shaped passage section of the ball passage. Even if dirt, dust, or other contaminants are generated by contact with the gaming ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the contaminants below the point of contact with the gaming ball, reducing the impact of the contaminants on the photosensor and preventing the adhesion of contaminants to the gaming ball.

In addition, an opening is provided upstream of the first-shaped passage section in the ball passage where the photosensor is located, allowing dirt, dust, and other contaminants in the ball passage to be discharged to the outside through the opening, thereby reducing the impact of dirt on the photosensor and reducing false detection of game balls caused by dirt on the photosensor.

In addition, at least one of the downstream and upstream sides of the first-shaped passage section, where at least the photosensor is located in the ball passage, is a second-shaped passage section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side wall surfaces. Therefore, when multiple game balls are retained in the second-shaped passage section, they are pushed by the upstream game balls, causing the game balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls are retained in the second-shaped passage section, they are lined up in a staggered pattern, and are not lined up in a single row on the axis of the ball passage. Therefore, because a portion of the ball pressure of the game balls toward the downstream side can be alternately released to the side wall surfaces they are contacting, the ball pressure on the component retaining the multiple game balls can be reduced compared to when the game balls are lined up in a single row on the axis. This makes the component less susceptible to damage, and there is no need to increase the strength and rigidity of the component more than necessary, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce false detection of gaming balls circulating through the ball passage.

[15-4c. Relationship between the solution of the fourth technical feature and embodiments]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above-mentioned solution means, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulation means of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the ball lifting outlet passage 652 of the ball lifting unit 650 in this embodiment, and the ball sending passage 703 of the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball passage of the above-mentioned solution means, the V-shaped passage section 651a and the V-shaped passage section 652a in this embodiment correspond to the first-shaped passage section of the above-mentioned solution means, the U-shaped passage section 651b, the U-shaped passage section 652b, and the ball sending passage 703 in this embodiment correspond to the second-shaped passage section of the above-mentioned solution means, and the areas where the ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 and the ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 in this embodiment are attached correspond to the openings of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-4d. Characteristic effects of the fourth technical feature]
In the following, the effects of the ball lifting exit passage 652 in the ball lifting unit 650 as a ball passage will be described, and since the ball lifting entrance passage 651 also has the same effects, the description of the effects of the ball lifting entrance passage 651 will be omitted. According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 that launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the player's ball holding data (the number of balls held is 1 or more), in the pachinko machine 1 (so-called enclosed type game machine, managed game machine), the ball lifting exit passage of the ball lifting unit 650 through which the game balls B circulate The portion of lift-up outlet sensor 654, which is a photosensor in 652, is configured as V-shaped passage portion 652a having a V-shaped cross section with a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the distance between them increases as it goes upward, and the pair of inclined surfaces causes game ball B to contact at two points below the center thereof, so that game ball B does not swing in the width direction of ball lift-up outlet passage 652 at the portion of lift-up outlet sensor 654, and it is possible to prevent game ball B from contacting the side wall of ball lift-up outlet passage 652, which would wear or scratch the side wall and cause dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, it is possible to reduce dirt, dust, and other contaminants in ball lift-up outlet passage 652 as much as possible, and it is possible to prevent false detections caused by dirt, etc. interfering with the light reception and emission of the photosensor in lift-up outlet sensor 654, and it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of reducing false detections of game balls B circulating through ball lift-up outlet passage 652.

Furthermore, in the V-shaped passage section 652a in the ball lifting outlet passage 652, where the lifting outlet sensor 654 consisting of a photosensor is installed, the game ball B does not swing in the width direction of the ball lifting outlet passage 652, so the positional relationship between the lifting outlet sensor 654 (photosensor) and the game ball B can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the game ball B flowing through the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

In addition, in the V-shaped passage section 652a, where the lift-up outlet sensor 654 consisting of a photosensor is provided, the game ball B is brought into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces. This reduces wear and scratches on the contact area caused by the game ball B compared to when the game ball B is brought into contact with a pair of protrusions, prevents the generation of dirt such as dust and dirt, and reduces false detection of the game ball B by the lift-up outlet sensor 654.

Furthermore, a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the V-shaped passage portion 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652. Even if dirt such as dust or debris is generated by contact with the game ball B, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the game ball B, thereby reducing the impact of the dirt on the lifting outlet sensor 654 and preventing dirt from adhering to the game ball B.

In addition, an opening to which a ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 is attached is provided upstream of the V-shaped passage section 652a in the ball lifting outlet passage 652, where the lifting outlet sensor 654 consisting of a photosensor is located.This allows dirt such as dust and debris from within the ball lifting outlet passage 652 to be discharged to the outside through this opening, thereby reducing the impact of dirt on the lifting outlet sensor 654 and reducing false detection of game ball B caused by dirt on the lifting outlet sensor 654.

Furthermore, at least one of the downstream or upstream sides (here, both the upstream and downstream sides) of the V-shaped passage section 652a, where the lifting outlet sensor 654 consisting of a photosensor in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 is located, is the U-shaped passage section 652b and the ball sending passage 703, which have a U-shaped cross section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side wall surfaces. Therefore, when multiple game balls B stop in the U-shaped passage section 652b and the ball sending passage 703, they are pushed by the game balls B on the upstream side, causing the game balls B from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls B stop in the U-shaped passage section 652b and the ball sending passage 703, they are lined up in a staggered pattern, and are not lined up in a single row along the axis of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 or the ball sending passage 703. Therefore, part of the ball pressure of the game balls B toward the downstream side can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces with which they are in contact, which reduces the ball pressure acting on the ball sending movable member 705 (ball stopping portion 705e) of the ball sending unit 700 that holds multiple game balls B compared to when they are lined up in a row on the axis, making the ball sending movable member 705 less likely to be damaged and eliminating the need to excessively reinforce the ball sending movable member 705, thereby suppressing increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1.

[15-5. Fifth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-5a. Background of the fifth technical feature]
As a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine, a ball sensor has been provided in a ball passage through which gaming balls flow, and the presence or absence of gaming balls in the ball passage is determined by the detection of the gaming balls by the ball sensor (for example, Patent Document A5: JP 2015-188537 A). In the technology of Patent Document A5, two ball sensors are provided at an interval in the ball passage, and the presence or absence of gaming balls is determined by the combination of detection signals from the two ball sensors.

However, the technology in Patent Document A5 requires the installation of multiple ball sensors to determine the presence or absence of gaming balls at specific locations in the ball passage, which increases costs and places a greater burden on the control means involved in making the determination. Therefore, while it was conceivable to use a single ball sensor to determine the presence or absence of gaming balls, it was difficult to accurately determine the absence of gaming balls in locations where the flow of gaming balls temporarily stops (stopping areas).

In light of the above situation, the following solution aims to provide a gaming machine that can reliably detect the presence or absence of gaming balls at stopping points in the passageway where gaming balls circulate, where gaming balls are temporarily stopped.

[15-5b. Solution of the fifth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
a control means capable of controlling the ball circulation means and the ball launching means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The ball projecting means and the ball circulating means are
A stopping section that is provided on a circulation ball path along which the game balls circulate and that can temporarily stop the circulation of the game balls;
A ball sensor that detects a game ball stopped at the stopping portion;
It has
The control means
When the detection time and non-detection time of the gaming ball by the ball sensor exceed a predetermined threshold, the presence or absence of the gaming ball in the stopping section is determined and the ball circulation means is controlled.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "stopping portions" include "launch rails (launch pads) in the ball launching means," "ball feeding passages of the ball feeding unit that supplies game balls one by one to the ball launching means in the ball circulating means," "ball lifting inlet passages and ball lifting outlet passages of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls in the ball circulating means," and "ball storage passages of the circulating ball path unit that stores game balls in the ball circulating means."

Furthermore, examples of "ball sensors" include "photo sensors having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element," "dielectric sensors that detect changes in induced current," "contact sensors that detect contact of a gaming ball," "magnetic sensors that detect changes in magnetism," and "capacitance sensors that detect changes in electrostatic capacitance." If multiple holding areas are provided, the ball sensors provided in each holding area may be the same type or different types.

Conventionally, game balls at prize slots and other locations are detected by checking the output from a photosensor (ball sensor) at a predetermined interrupt cycle (e.g., 4 ms). When the output is "not detected, detected, detected" (in other words, "011"), it is determined that a game ball has been detected (ON). In other words, when the output from the photosensor is "011," it is determined to be ON, and when it is anything other than "011," it is determined to be OFF. However, when a ball sensor is installed in a retention area where the flow of game balls temporarily stops, if the presence or absence of game balls is determined using the conventional determination method described above, the ball sensor will only output OFF if there are no game balls in the retention area, will output many short ONs if game balls are being supplied to the retention area, and will output many short OFFs if the game balls stored in the retention area are moving one by one (game balls are moving at the launch interval). Therefore, the conventional determination method was unable to accurately determine that there were no game balls in the retention area.

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine comprising: a gaming board having a play area where games are played with gaming balls; a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the play area of the gaming board; a ball circulating means for collecting gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them back to the ball launching means; and a control means capable of controlling the ball circulating means and the ball launching means. The gaming machine launches gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player. The ball launching means and the ball circulating means are located on the circulating ball path along which the gaming balls circulate, and include a stopping section where the circulation of gaming balls can be temporarily stopped, and a ball sensor that detects gaming balls stopped in the stopping section. The control means determines whether gaming balls are present in the stopping section and controls the ball circulating means when the detection and non-detection times of gaming balls by the ball sensor exceed predetermined thresholds (see Chapter 4-5. Ball Lifting Unit, Figures 57 and 58, etc., in [Embodiment 1]).

In this way, in gaming machines (so-called enclosed gaming machines, managed gaming machines) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (for example, the number of balls held is one or more), a ball sensor is provided at a stopping section on the circulating ball path along which gaming balls circulate, where the gaming balls can temporarily stop, and when the control means determines the presence or absence of gaming balls in the stopping section and controls the ball circulation means when the detection time and non-detection time of the gaming ball by the ball sensor exceed a predetermined threshold. In other words, while conventional determinations use only the condition (threshold) of whether a gaming ball is present (ON) to determine whether a gaming ball is present (ON/OFF), this method sets a threshold for each of the ON (present) and OFF (absent) determinations, and determines whether the gaming ball is present or not only when the threshold is exceeded and there is continuous non-detection or detection. In other words, for example, when the output from the ball sensor is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably determine whether a gaming ball is present or not in the stopping section of the ball passage where multiple gaming balls are stopped.

In addition, because the system reliably determines whether or not there are game balls in the holding area and controls the ball circulation means, it is possible to avoid situations where balls run out in the circulation ball path (holding area) and game balls cannot be released even though there is ball holding data (number of balls held), or where the ball circulation means is damaged or jammed when more game balls are supplied to the holding area when it is full, allowing players to continue enjoying the game.

If the threshold is too small, even slight vibrations will cause false detection, resulting in noise in the control. Also, if the threshold is larger than necessary, the state of the game ball will not be detected. Therefore, the appropriate threshold will vary depending on where the ball sensor is installed, but it is desirable to set it at a minimum of 10 ms and a maximum of 300 ms. Furthermore, if the threshold is set to a multiple of the interrupt cycle, the software only needs to count the number of interrupts, reducing the burden on the software.

In addition, multiple stopping areas may be provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means may determine the presence or absence of game balls using the same or different thresholds depending on the stopping area. This allows the threshold for determining the presence or absence of game balls to be different depending on the stopping area (ball sensor). For example, it is possible to reduce the threshold for ball sensors in stopping areas such as the ball delivery passage of the ball delivery unit that supplies game balls to the ball launching means, and to increase the threshold for ball sensors in stopping areas such as the ball lifting inlet passage and ball lifting outlet passage of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls to the ball delivery unit. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls depending on the circulation speed (stopping frequency) of game balls in the stopping areas, the number of stopped game balls, etc., the control means can perform control more efficiently and the load on control can be reduced.

Furthermore, multiple stopping areas may be provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means may determine whether a game ball is present or absent using the same threshold value or different threshold values depending on the stopping area. This allows the threshold value for whether a game ball is present and the threshold value for whether a game ball is absent to be different depending on the stopping area (ball sensor). For example, the threshold value for whether a game ball is present and the threshold value for whether a game ball is absent can be the same for a ball sensor in a stopping area such as the launch rail of a ball launching means that launches game balls, or the threshold value for whether a game ball is present and the threshold value for whether a game ball is absent can be different for a ball sensor in a stopping area such as the ball lifting inlet passage or ball lifting outlet passage of a ball lifting unit that lifts game balls. Therefore, by determining whether the threshold for when game balls are present and the threshold for when game balls are absent are the same or different depending on factors such as the circulation speed (stop frequency) of game balls in the stopping area, the number of stopped game balls, etc., the control means can efficiently perform control in accordance with the stopping area, reducing the load on the control.

Also, at least a portion of the retention area may be provided with a U-shaped passageway having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming balls come into contact and a width greater than the diameter of the gaming balls, and a pair of sidewalls extending from both widthwise ends of the bottom surface. This allows at least a portion of the retention area where gaming balls temporarily stop to have a U-shaped passageway consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of sidewalls. Therefore, when multiple gaming balls stop in the U-shaped passageway, they are pushed by the gaming balls on the upstream side, causing the gaming balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of sidewalls. In other words, when multiple gaming balls stop in the U-shaped passageway, they are lined up in a staggered pattern, and the gaming balls are not lined up in a single row along the axis of the retention area (passageway). Therefore, part of the ball pressure of the game balls flowing downstream can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces they are in contact with, reducing the ball pressure on the specific components that hold the game balls, making those components less likely to be damaged, and eliminating the need to reinforce those components excessively, which helps to curb increases in the cost of the game machine.

Furthermore, a photosensor may be included as the ball sensor, and a V-shaped passageway may be provided at least at the location of the photosensor in the holding area, with a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the distance between each of the gaming balls increases as they contact the photosensor. In this way, a V-shaped passageway is provided at the location of the photosensor in the holding area. When the gaming ball comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passageway, the gaming ball will not swing in the width direction of the passageway (ball passageway) of the holding area at the photosensor location. This prevents the gaming ball from contacting the sidewalls, causing wear or damage to the sidewalls, resulting in the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. This minimizes the amount of dirt, dust, and other contaminants in the holding area, preventing false detections caused by dirt, etc. impeding the light reception and emission of the photosensor. This provides a gaming machine that reduces false detections of gaming balls held in the holding area.

Furthermore, when a V-shaped passage section is provided as described above, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage section prevents the gaming ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passage at least at the photosensor location in the stopping section, so the positional relationship between the photosensor and the gaming ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to misalignment of this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the gaming ball.

Furthermore, when a V-shaped passage section is provided as described above, the V-shaped passage section has a pair of inclined surfaces, so even if dirt such as dust and grime is generated by contact with the gaming ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the gaming ball, reducing the impact of the dirt on the photosensor and preventing the dirt from adhering to the gaming ball. Note that the V-shaped passage section may be any section that has a pair of inclined surfaces, and may be a passage with a V-shaped cross section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or a passage with an inverted trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The stop portion is
A plurality of such spheres are provided on the circulation path,
The control means
The presence or absence of a gaming ball is determined using the same threshold value or a different threshold value depending on the stopping portion.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 2, multiple stopping areas are provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means determines the presence or absence of game balls using the same threshold value or different threshold values depending on the stopping area (see the description of the launch subtraction sensor 554, lift-up inlet sensor 653, lift-up outlet sensor 654, launch pre-sensor 704, etc. in the [Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the threshold for determining the presence or absence of game balls to be different depending on the stopping section (ball sensor). For example, it is possible to lower the threshold for ball sensors in stopping sections such as the ball delivery passage of the ball delivery unit that supplies game balls to the ball launching means, and to raise the threshold for ball sensors in stopping sections such as the ball lifting inlet passage and ball lifting outlet passage of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls to the ball delivery unit. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls depending on the circulation speed (stopping frequency) of game balls in the stopping section, the number of stopped game balls, etc., the control means can perform control more efficiently and the load on control can be reduced.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The stop portion is
A plurality of such spheres are provided on the circulation path,
The control means
Depending on the stopping portion, the presence or absence of a gaming ball is determined using the same threshold value, or the presence or absence of a gaming ball is determined using different threshold values.
It is characterized by being something.

In the configuration of Means 3, multiple stopping areas are provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means determines whether or not a gaming ball is present using the same threshold value, or whether or not a gaming ball is present using different threshold values, depending on the stopping area (see the description of the launch subtraction sensor 554, lift-up inlet sensor 653, lift-up outlet sensor 654, launch pre-sensor 704, etc. in the [Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent to be different depending on the holding area (ball sensor). For example, the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent can be the same for ball sensors in holding areas such as the launch rails of the ball launching means that launches game balls, or the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent can be different for ball sensors in holding areas such as the ball lifting inlet passage and ball lifting outlet passage of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls. Therefore, by making the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent the same or different depending on the circulation speed (stopping frequency) of game balls in the holding area, the number of held game balls, etc., the control means can efficiently perform control in accordance with the holding area, reducing the load on control.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The stop portion is
At least a part of the machine is provided with a U-shaped passageway having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and which is wider than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side walls extending from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction.
It is characterized by being something.

However, since the holding area in the circulating ball path is designed to temporarily stop the circulation of game balls using a specified component, the greater the number of game balls held in the holding area, the greater the ball pressure on the specified component holding the game balls, making the component more susceptible to damage. Reinforcing the component to prevent damage could increase costs.

According to the configuration of means 4, at least a portion of the holding area is provided with a U-shaped passageway portion having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces extending from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction (see the description of the U-shaped passageway portion 651b of the ball lifting inlet passageway 651 and the U-shaped passageway portion 652b of the ball lifting outlet passageway 652 in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, at least a portion of the retention area where game balls temporarily stop is provided with a U-shaped passageway consisting of a flat bottom and a pair of side wall surfaces. Therefore, when multiple game balls stop in the U-shaped passageway, they are pushed by the upstream game balls, causing the game balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls stop in the U-shaped passageway, they line up in a staggered pattern, and the game balls do not line up in a single row on the axis of the retention area (passageway). Therefore, because some of the ball pressure of the game balls toward the downstream side can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces they are in contact with, the ball pressure on the specific component that retains the game balls can be reduced, making the component less susceptible to damage and eliminating the need to excessively reinforce the component, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The spherical sensor is
It includes a photosensor,
The stop portion is
A V-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the gap between them increases as the gaming ball comes into contact with each other and moves upward is provided at least at the location of the photosensor.
It is characterized by being something.

However, when using a photosensor as a ball sensor, if the inner circumference of the photosensor in the holding area is square, the gaming ball will tend to swing across the width of the holding area (ball passage). As a result, the gaming ball will frequently come into contact with the side wall, causing wear and scratches on the side, making it more likely that dirt such as dust and debris will accumulate. This dirt and debris may interfere with the light reception and emission of the photosensor, resulting in false detection.

Means 5 is configured so that a photosensor is included as the ball sensor, and at least at the location of the photosensor in the stopping section, a V-shaped passage section is provided with a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the gap between them increases as the gaming ball contacts and moves upward (see the description of the V-shaped passage section 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the V-shaped passage section 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652, the lifting inlet sensor 653, the lifting outlet sensor 654, etc. in the [Description of the Preferred Embodiments]).

As a result, a V-shaped passage is provided at the location of the photosensor in the parking area, and when the gaming ball comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage, the gaming ball does not swing in the width direction of the passage (ball passage) of the parking area at the photosensor location. This prevents the gaming ball from coming into contact with the sidewall, causing wear or damage to the sidewall and resulting in the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, since dirt, dust, and other contaminants within the parking area can be reduced as much as possible, it is possible to prevent false detections caused by dirt, etc. interfering with the light reception and emission of light by the photosensor, and it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce false detections of gaming balls parked in the parking area.

Furthermore, at least at the location of the photosensor in the stopping section, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passageway prevent the gaming ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passageway, so the positional relationship between the photosensor and the gaming ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to misalignment of this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the gaming ball.

Furthermore, the V-shaped passage section has a pair of inclined surfaces, so even if dirt such as dust and grime is generated by contact with the game ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the game ball, reducing the impact of the dirt on the photosensor and preventing dirt from adhering to the game ball.

The V-shaped passage section may be any passage having a pair of inclined surfaces, and may be a passage with a V-shaped cross section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or a passage with an inverted trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward.

Means 6: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
a control means capable of controlling the ball circulation means and the ball launching means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The ball projecting means and the ball circulating means are
A plurality of stopping sections are provided on a circulation ball path along which the game balls circulate, and are capable of temporarily stopping the circulation of the game balls;
A plurality of ball sensors including a photosensor for detecting game balls stopped at each of the stopping portions;
It has
The stop portion is
"A V-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the gaming ball comes into contact with each other and the spacing between them increases as the surface moves upward" is provided at least in the area of the photosensor, and "a U-shaped passage section having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction" is provided in the area excluding the V-shaped passage section,
The control means
When the detection time and non-detection time of the gaming ball by the ball sensor exceed a predetermined threshold, the presence or absence of the gaming ball in the stopping area is determined and the ball circulation means is controlled, and further, "the presence or absence of the gaming ball is determined using the same threshold or a different threshold depending on the stopping area," and "the presence or absence of the gaming ball is determined using the same threshold or a different threshold depending on the stopping area."
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 6, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played with gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area of the gaming board, a ball circulating means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means, and a control means that can control the ball circulating means and the ball launching means, and is configured to launch gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player. The ball launching means and ball circulating means are provided on the circulating ball path along which the gaming balls circulate, and have multiple stopping sections that can temporarily stop the circulation of gaming balls, and multiple ball sensors including a photosensor that detect gaming balls stopped at each stopping section, and the stopping sections "are spaced apart as the gaming balls come into contact with each of them and move upward." A "V-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that incline so as to widen" is provided at least in the area of the photosensor, and a "C-shaped passage section having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side walls extending from both widthwise ends of the bottom surface" is provided in the area excluding the V-shaped passage section. When the detection time and non-detection time of the gaming ball by the ball sensor exceed a predetermined threshold, the control means determines the presence or absence of gaming balls in the stopping section and controls the ball circulation means, and further "determines the presence or absence of gaming balls using the same threshold or different thresholds depending on the stopping section," and "determines the presence or absence of gaming balls using the same threshold or different thresholds depending on the stopping section."

In this way, in gaming machines (so-called enclosed gaming machines, managed gaming machines) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (for example, the number of balls held is one or more), a ball sensor is provided at a stopping section on the circulating ball path along which gaming balls circulate, where the gaming balls can temporarily stop, and when the control means determines the presence or absence of gaming balls in the stopping section and controls the ball circulation means when the detection time and non-detection time of the gaming ball by the ball sensor exceed a predetermined threshold. In other words, while conventional determinations use only the condition (threshold) of whether a gaming ball is present (ON) to determine whether a gaming ball is present (ON/OFF), this method sets a threshold for each of the ON (present) and OFF (absent) determinations, and determines whether the gaming ball is present or not only when the threshold is exceeded and there is continuous non-detection or detection. In other words, for example, when the output from the ball sensor is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably determine whether a gaming ball is present or not in the stopping section of the ball passage where multiple gaming balls are stopped.

In addition, because the system reliably determines whether or not there are game balls in the holding area and controls the ball circulation means, it is possible to avoid situations where balls run out in the circulation ball path (holding area) and game balls cannot be released even though there is ball holding data (number of balls held), or where the ball circulation means is damaged or jammed when more game balls are supplied to the holding area when it is full, allowing players to continue enjoying the game.

Furthermore, the threshold for determining the presence or absence of game balls can be varied depending on the stopping section (ball sensor). For example, it is possible to lower the threshold for ball sensors in stopping sections such as the ball sending passage of the ball sending unit that supplies game balls to the ball launching means, and to raise the threshold for ball sensors in stopping sections such as the ball lifting inlet passage and ball lifting outlet passage of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls to the ball sending unit. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls depending on the circulation speed (stopping frequency) of game balls in the stopping section, the number of stopped game balls, etc., the control means can perform control more efficiently and the load on control can be reduced.

In addition, the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent can be different depending on the holding area (ball sensor). For example, the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent can be the same for ball sensors in holding areas such as the launch rails of the ball launching means that launches game balls, or the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent can be different for ball sensors in holding areas such as the ball lifting inlet passage and ball lifting outlet passage of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls. Therefore, by making the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent the same or different depending on the circulation speed (stopping frequency) of game balls in the holding area, the number of held game balls, etc., the control means can efficiently perform control in accordance with the holding area, reducing the load on control.

Furthermore, because a V-shaped passage is provided at the location of the photosensor in the parking area, when the gaming ball comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage, the gaming ball does not swing in the width direction of the passage (ball passage) of the parking area at the photosensor location. This prevents the gaming ball from coming into contact with the sidewall, causing wear or damage to the sidewall and resulting in the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, since dirt, dust, and other contaminants within the parking area can be reduced as much as possible, it is possible to prevent false detections caused by dirt, etc. interfering with the light reception and emission of light by the photosensor, and it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce false detections of gaming balls parked in the parking area.

In addition, a U-shaped passageway consisting of a flat bottom and a pair of side wall surfaces is provided in a location other than the V-shaped passageway where the photosensor is located in the retention section. Therefore, when multiple game balls are retained in the U-shaped passageway, they are pushed by the game balls on the upstream side, causing the game balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls are retained in the U-shaped passageway, they line up in a staggered pattern, and the game balls do not line up in a single row on the axis of the retention section (passage). Therefore, because some of the ball pressure of the game balls toward the downstream side can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces they are contacting, the ball pressure on the specific components retaining the game balls can be reduced, making those components less susceptible to damage and eliminating the need to excessively reinforce those components, thereby minimizing increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, at the location of the photosensor in the stopping area, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passageway prevent the gaming ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passageway, so the positional relationship between the photosensor and the gaming ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to misalignment in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the gaming ball.

In addition, because the V-shaped passageway has a pair of inclined surfaces, even if dirt such as dust and debris is generated by contact with the gaming ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the gaming ball, reducing the impact of the dirt on the photosensor and preventing dirt from adhering to the gaming ball. The V-shaped passageway may be any passageway that has a pair of inclined surfaces, and may be a passageway with a V-shaped cross section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or a passageway with an inverted trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward.

If the threshold is too small, even slight vibrations will cause false detection, resulting in noise in the control. Furthermore, if the threshold is unnecessarily large, the state of the game ball will not be detected. Therefore, the appropriate threshold value will vary depending on where the ball sensor is installed, but it is desirable to set it at a minimum of 10 ms and a maximum of 300 ms. Furthermore, if the threshold is set to a multiple of the interrupt cycle, the software only needs to count the number of interrupts, reducing the burden on the software.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably detect the presence or absence of gaming balls at stopping points in the passageway where gaming balls circulate, where gaming balls are temporarily stopped.

[15-5c. Relationship between the solution of the fifth technical feature and embodiments]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above-mentioned solution means, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulating means of the above-mentioned solution means, the circulation path R in this embodiment corresponds to the circulating ball path of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball launch pad 552b of the ball launching unit 550 in this embodiment, the ball serpentine path 604 of the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting inlet path 651 and the ball lifting outlet path 652 in the ball lifting unit 650, the ball sending unit The ball sending passage 703 of the ball sending unit 700 corresponds to the stopping portion of the above-mentioned solving means, the launch subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launching unit 550 in this embodiment, the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and circulating ball excess sensor 622 of the circulating ball path unit 600, the lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654 of the ball lifting unit 650, and the launch pre-sensor 704 of the ball sending unit 700 correspond to the ball sensors of the above-mentioned solving means, and the launch subtraction sensor 554, lifting inlet sensor 653, and lifting outlet sensor 654 in this embodiment correspond to the photosensors of the above-mentioned solving means.

In this embodiment, the ball launch pad 552b, the V-shaped passage section 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651, and the V-shaped passage section 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 correspond to the V-shaped passage section of the above-mentioned solution means, while the ball serpentine passage 604, the U-shaped passage section 651b of the ball lifting inlet passage 651, the U-shaped passage section 652b of the ball lifting outlet passage 652, and the ball transport passage 703 in this embodiment correspond to the U-shaped passage section of the above-mentioned solution means, and the frame control board 740 in this embodiment corresponds to the control means of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-5d. Characteristic effects of the fifth technical feature]
Below, the effects of the lifting inlet sensor 653 of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 in the ball lifting unit 650 will be described as a stopping point where the circulation of game balls B is temporarily stopped and stopped in a fixed position.Since the launch subtraction sensor 554, circulating ball shortage sensor 621, circulating ball excess sensor 622, lifting outlet sensor 654, launch pre-sensor 704, etc. have similar effects, descriptions of their effects will be omitted unless particularly necessary. According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 that launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulation ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the ball data of the player (the number of balls held is 1 or more). In a gaming machine (a gaming machine with a controlled game system), a lifting entrance sensor 653 consisting of a photosensor is provided in a ball lifting entrance passage 651 of a ball lifting unit 650, which serves as a stopping point where game ball B can temporarily stop on a circulation path R along which game ball B circulates, and when the detection time and non-detection time of game ball B by the lifting entrance sensor 653 exceed a predetermined threshold, a frame control board 740 determines the presence or absence of game ball B in the ball lifting entrance passage 651 and controls the drive of a lifting motor 664. In other words, whereas conventional determinations use only the condition (threshold) of game ball B being present (ON) to determine the presence or absence (ON/OFF) of game ball B, in this embodiment, thresholds are provided for the ON (presence) determination and the OFF (absence) determination, and an ON or OFF determination is made only when the thresholds are exceeded and non-detection or detection continues. That is, for example, when the output from the lifting inlet sensor 653 is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably determine the presence or absence of game balls B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 where multiple game balls B are parked.

In addition, because the system reliably determines whether or not there are game balls B in the ball lifting entrance passage 651 and controls the operation of the lifting motor 664, it is possible to avoid situations where balls run out in the circulation route R (here, the ball lifting entrance passage 651) and game balls B cannot be launched even though there is ball holding data (number of balls held), or where the ball lifting entrance passage 651 is full and more game balls B are supplied, causing damage to the ball lifting unit 650 or ball clogging, allowing players to continue enjoying the game.

Furthermore, the threshold for determining the presence or absence of game balls B can be varied depending on the stopping area where the circulation of game balls B is temporarily stopped. This allows the threshold to be reduced for the pre-launch sensor 704 located in a stopping area such as the ball sending passage 703 of the ball sending unit 700 that supplies game balls B to the ball launching unit 550, or the threshold to be increased for the lift-up inlet sensor 653 and lift-up outlet sensor 654 located in a stopping area such as the ball lift-up inlet passage 651 and ball lift-up outlet passage 652 of the ball lift-up unit 650 that lifts game balls B to the ball sending unit 700. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls B according to the circulation speed (stop frequency) of game balls B in the stopping area, the number of stopped game balls B, etc., control by the frame control board 740 can be performed more efficiently, and the load on control can be reduced.

In addition, the threshold value for the presence of game ball B and the threshold value for the absence of game ball B can be made different depending on the stopping area where the circulation of game ball B is temporarily stopped.For example, the threshold value for the presence of game ball B and the threshold value for the absence of game ball B can be made the same for the launch subtraction sensor 554 provided in a stopping area such as the ball launch pad 552b of the ball launch unit 550 that launches game ball B, or the threshold value for the presence of game ball B and the threshold value for the absence of game ball B can be made different for the lifting inlet sensor 653 and the lifting outlet sensor 654 provided in a stopping area such as the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the ball lifting outlet passage 652 of the ball lifting unit 650 that lifts game ball B. Therefore, by determining whether the threshold for the presence of game ball B and the threshold for the absence of game balls are the same or different depending on the circulation speed (stop frequency) of game balls B in the stopping area, the number of stopped game balls B, etc., the control by the frame control board 740 can be performed efficiently in accordance with the stopping area, and the load on control can be reduced.

Furthermore, a V-shaped passage section 651a is provided at the location of the lift-up entrance sensor 653, which consists of a photosensor, in the ball lift-up entrance passage 651. Therefore, when the game ball B comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage section 651a, the game ball B does not swing in the width direction of the ball lift-up entrance passage 651 at the location of the lift-up entrance sensor 653. This prevents the game ball B from contacting the sidewall, causing wear or damage to the sidewall and resulting in the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, dirt, dust, and other contaminants within the ball lift-up entrance passage 651 can be reduced as much as possible, preventing false detections caused by dirt, etc. interfering with the light reception and emission of the lift-up entrance sensor 653, which consists of a photosensor. This makes it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of reducing false detections of game balls B parked in the parking area.

In addition, a U-shaped passageway 651b consisting of a flat bottom and a pair of side wall surfaces is provided in the ball lifting entrance passageway 651, other than the V-shaped passageway 651a where the lifting entrance sensor 653 consisting of a photosensor is provided. Therefore, when multiple game balls B stop in the U-shaped passageway 651b, they are pushed by the game balls B on the upstream side, causing the game balls B from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls B stop in the U-shaped passageway 651b, they are lined up in a staggered pattern, and the game balls B are not lined up in a single row on the axis of the ball lifting entrance passageway 651. Therefore, part of the ball pressure of the game ball B toward the downstream side can be released alternately to the side wall surface with which it is in contact, which reduces the ball pressure acting on the lifting spiral shaft 661 that keeps the game ball B stationary, making the lifting spiral shaft 661 less likely to be damaged, and there is no need to reinforce the lifting spiral shaft 661 excessively, which helps to suppress increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, at the location of the lifting entrance sensor 653, which consists of a photosensor in the ball lifting entrance passage 651, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage section 651a prevents the game ball B from swinging in the width direction of the ball lifting entrance passage 651, so the positional relationship between the lifting entrance sensor 653 and the game ball B can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to misalignment of this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the game ball B.

Furthermore, since the V-shaped passage portion 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 has a pair of inclined surfaces, even if dirt such as dust and debris is generated by contact with the game ball B, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the game ball B, reducing the impact of the dirt on the lifting inlet sensor 653, which is made up of a photosensor, and preventing dirt from adhering to the game ball B. Note that the V-shaped passage portion 651a may be any passage that has a pair of inclined surfaces, and may be a passage with a V-shaped cross section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or a passage with an inverted trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward.

[15-6. Sixth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-6a. Background of the sixth technical feature]
There are known gaming machines such as pachinko machines that circulate a large number of gaming balls enclosed inside during play, preventing players from touching the gaming balls (so-called enclosed gaming machines, managed gaming machines) (for example, Patent Document A6: JP 2020-162850 A). In gaming machines such as this Patent Document A6, gaming balls shot into a play area of a gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to a ball launching means.

Such so-called enclosed gaming machines are not currently in widespread use, and as they become more widespread, they are expected to be mixed with conventional pachinko machines in island facilities for conventional pachinko machines.

For this reason, even in so-called enclosed gaming machines, the supply balls flow above the rear of the machine, and the collected balls flow below the rear of the machine. As a result, game balls, metal powder generated from game balls, and even screws that were forgotten to be collected during the replacement process fall from above.

In light of the above situation, the following solution aims to provide a gaming machine that can properly handle objects that fall from above the gaming machine.

[15-6b. Solution of the sixth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine in which game balls are enclosed inside the machine and games are played with the game balls circulating inside the machine,
The gaming machine accommodates a gaming board in a gaming machine frame, and the gaming machine frame includes an upper cover that protects the gaming board from above and a rear cover that protects the gaming board from behind,
The upper surface of the upper cover is spherical, allowing the game balls to flow backward, but the non-spherical member has a gentle slope that allows the game balls to remain on the upper surface of the upper cover.

Here, "a gaming machine in which gaming balls are sealed inside the machine and games are played using the gaming balls that circulate inside the machine" refers to gaming machines known as sealed-type pachinko machines, circulating-type pachinko machines, and managed gaming machines.

The "top cover" and "rear cover" can be plate-shaped components made of synthetic resin. While it is desirable for the "rear cover" to be able to be opened and closed for maintenance purposes, it is also desirable for it to be difficult to open and close from a security standpoint.

A gentle slope is one with an angle of a few degrees to about 15 degrees from the horizontal plane; any angle greater than that is not suitable as non-spherical screws or metal powder may slide off.

According to the configuration of Means 1, in a gaming machine in which gaming balls are sealed inside and games are played with the gaming balls circulating inside the machine, the gaming machine houses a gaming board in a gaming machine frame, and the gaming machine frame is equipped with an upper cover that protects the gaming board from above and a rear cover that protects it from behind, and the upper surface of the upper cover is spherical, allowing gaming balls to flow backward, while a non-spherical member has a gently sloping surface that allows the gaming balls to remain on the upper surface of the upper cover (see Chapter 4-1. Main Frame Base Unit, Figures 22 to 24, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With the above configuration, for example, game balls that fall from the ball supply passage will simply flow down the top surface of the upper cover and fall straight down into the game ball recovery passage where they are collected, so no problems will arise. Furthermore, because of the gentle slope, metal powder, screws, etc. will not flow down, but will remain on the top surface of the cover that protects them from the top. Therefore, there will be no problems such as screws falling into the recovery passage and interfering with the recovery of game balls.

By creating a gentle slope as described above, falling objects can be selectively allowed to flow down or remain there. In other words, objects falling from above the gaming machine can be properly handled.

In this embodiment, the top surface of the cover that provides protection from above is inclined at 2.00 degrees from the horizontal plane, which, when taken into account, results in a downward inclination of 2.75 degrees when the pachinko machine is installed (typically tilted backward by about 0.75 degrees).

The protective cover for the gaming machine frame that houses the gaming board must have ventilation holes to dissipate heat from the gaming board, but it is preferable to provide these ventilation holes in the rear cover and not in the top cover. Not providing ventilation holes in the top cover prevents metal powder from adversely affecting the electrical components of the gaming board. Furthermore, unevenness caused by the ventilation holes does not impede the flow of gaming balls.

Furthermore, if the top cover is molded using a resin injection molding machine, it is desirable not to provide a so-called gate on the top surface of the top cover through which the resin is injected into the mold. This is because providing a gate could create unevenness, which could hinder the flow of game balls.

Furthermore, when the top cover is molded using a resin injection molding machine, it is desirable to avoid the marks of the ejector pins that are left when the molded product is pushed out of the mold, just like the gate. Naturally, even though the marks from the ejector pins are small, they can still create unevenness that can hinder the flow of game balls, and metal powder can get in when cleaning, making the cover look unsightly.

By keeping the top surface of the top cover as smooth as possible in this way, the effect of this invention, which is to properly handle objects that fall from above the gaming machine, can be better achieved.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
The device is characterized by the fact that "the upper surface of the top cover does not have ventilation holes, but ventilation holes are provided in the rear cover."

In the configuration of Measure 2, no ventilation holes are provided on the top surface of the top cover, but ventilation holes are provided on the rear cover. In other words, ventilation holes are an essential component of the protective cover for the gaming machine frame that houses the gaming board in order to dissipate heat from the gaming board, which generates heat. However, it is preferable to provide these ventilation holes on the rear cover, but not on the top cover (see the description of ventilation holes 502f in the "Description of the Invention").

By configuring it this way, there are no ventilation holes on the top surface of the top cover, which prevents falling metal powder from adversely affecting the electrical components of the game board. Furthermore, unevenness caused by the ventilation holes does not impede the flow of game balls.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
The top cover is made of resin, and no resin injection port is provided on the top surface of the top cover.

In the configuration of Measure 3, the top cover is made of resin, and no resin injection port is provided on the top surface of the top cover (see the description of the top cover 502a of the main body frame base 501 in the "Description of the Invention").

By configuring it in this way, the top surface of the top cover does not have any unevenness caused by the resin injection port (so-called gate), so the flow of game balls is not hindered.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
The top cover is made of resin, and no ejector pin marks are left on the top surface of the top cover.

In the configuration of Measure 4, the top cover is made of resin, and no ejector pin marks are left on the top surface of the top cover (see the description of top cover 502a in the "Description of the Invention").

This construction improves the smoothness of the top surface of the top cover because no ejector pin marks are left when the molded product is pushed out of the mold during injection molding. The ejector pin marks are not particularly uneven, but by not leaving any ejector pin marks, they do not interfere with the flow of game balls. Furthermore, since there are no ejector pin marks, metal powder and the like cannot get in during cleaning, resulting in a cleaner appearance.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
The gaming machine frame is characterized by having an outer frame fixed to the gaming facility island equipment and a gaming board housing frame journaled on the outer frame, and the top cover is molded integrally with the gaming board housing frame.

According to the configuration of means 5, the gaming machine frame comprises an outer frame fixed to the gaming island equipment and a gaming board housing frame journaled on the outer frame, and the top cover is molded integrally with the gaming board housing frame (see the description of the main frame base 501 in the "Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention").

By configuring it in this way, it is possible to reduce assembly man-hours by molding it as a single unit, and it is also possible to improve the strength of the entire game board housing frame (main frame).

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 5,
It is characterized by the fact that "when the game board is accommodated in the game board accommodation frame, the top cover has a positioning portion on the inside that contacts the game board and positions it."

According to the configuration of means 6, when a gaming board is placed in the gaming board storage frame, the top cover has a positioning portion on its inside that contacts the gaming board and positions it (see the description of the abutment surface 502j in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

By configuring it in this way, the positional relationship between the game board and the top cover is firmly fixed, thereby achieving the purpose of protecting the game board in the game board storage frame.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can properly handle objects that fall from above the gaming machine.

[15-6c. Relationship between the solution of the sixth technical feature and embodiments]
The main frame 4 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game board storage frame of the above-mentioned solution means, the top cover 502a of the main frame base 501 in this embodiment corresponds to the top cover of the above-mentioned solution means, the rear cover 502b in this embodiment corresponds to the rear cover of the above-mentioned solution means, and the ventilation hole 502f in this embodiment corresponds to the ventilation hole of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-6d. Characteristic effects of the sixth technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the top cover 502a of the main body frame base 501, which protects the game board 5 housed in the main body frame 4 from above, has a gently sloping top surface that slopes downward toward the rear, making it possible to properly handle game balls B, metal powder, screws, etc. that fall from above the pachinko machine 1. Specifically, spherical game balls B can be made to flow down the top surface of the top cover 502a and fall below the pachinko machine 1, so the game balls B are collected as they are and do not cause any trouble. Furthermore, non-spherical metal powder, screws, etc. can be retained on the top cover 502a without flowing down, so they also do not cause any trouble.

Furthermore, no ventilation holes 502f are provided on the top surface of this top cover 502a. This prevents metal powder, screws, etc. from entering through the ventilation holes 502f and does not adversely affect the electrical components of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the top surface of the top cover 502a, which is molded using an injection molding machine, does not have a gate for injecting molten resin into the mold during molding. As a result, no irregularities caused by the gate are created on the top surface of the top cover 502a, and the flow of the game ball B is not impeded.

Similarly, care has been taken to avoid leaving ejector pin marks when the injection-molded main frame base 501 is removed from the mold. Normally, ejector pin marks are unlikely to hinder the flow of game balls B if the burrs are properly removed, but when cleaning the top surface of the top cover 502a where metal powder or the like has accumulated, the ejector pin marks may remain and spoil the aesthetic appearance. For this reason, by not leaving ejector pin marks, the aesthetic appearance can be easily restored by cleaning.

In addition, this top cover 502a is molded integrally with the main frame base 501. Molding it in this manner reduces assembly labor and improves the strength of the entire main frame base unit 500 (game board housing frame).

The top surface of the top cover 502a not only protects the game board 5 housed inside, but also has a positioning portion (abutment surface 502j) on the inside that contacts the game board 5 to position it. This fixes the positional relationship between the game board 5 and the top cover 502a, thereby fulfilling the purpose of the game board housing frame (main frame 4) of protecting the game board 5.

Furthermore, no reinforcing ribs are provided on the top surface of the top cover 502a, which means that ribs do not make cleaning difficult and maintenance is easier. However, if there are other components (e.g., frame 501a, outer frame 2, etc.) covering the top surface of the top cover 502a, and ribs are provided in areas where foreign objects will not fall, it is acceptable to provide ribs.

[15-7. Seventh Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-7a. Background of the seventh technical feature]
In recent years, the effective use of resources has become increasingly important against the backdrop of environmental issues. From this perspective, development is underway to form more parts of gaming machines from recyclable materials. On the other hand, the replacement cycles of gaming machines at gaming halls (amusement parlors) that install gaming machines are becoming shorter, and the number of gaming machines being disposed of and dismantled is on the rise. As a result, the burden of dismantling and sorting gaming machines is increasing, and there is a demand to reduce this work even as much as possible.

For example, in conventional gaming machines such as those shown in Patent Document A7 (JP 2017-018185 A), when attempting to disassemble the side unit (ball entry unit), which has multiple general winning slots as ball entry ports, by pulling it forward and removing it from the gaming panel, the ball entry unit bends, causing the positioning protrusions inserted into the positioning holes in the gaming panel to tilt, resulting in a problem of time-consuming disassembly.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required when sorting for recycling, etc.

[15-7b. Solution of the seventh technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component member having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, the first component member being attached to the gaming panel so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the gaming panel from the front side;
a second component member having a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component member and attached to the rear side of the first component member;
The invention is characterized by the fact that it comprises the following.

Here, "ball entry port" refers to "a prize entry port that confers a specified bonus when a gaming ball enters (for example, a general prize entry port, regular prize entry port, start prize entry port (start prize entry port), big prize entry port, special bonus entry port, V prize entry port, etc.)" and "an outlet port that ejects a gaming ball from the gaming machine without awarding a bonus even if the gaming ball enters, and without returning it to the player," etc.

The "ball inlet" may be provided in either the first component or the second component.

Furthermore, examples of "game panels" include "those made of wooden plywood such as plywood," "those made of a panel board machined from a transparent resin board and a panel holder that holds the outer periphery of the panel board," and "those made by injection molding transparent resin."

According to the configuration of means 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and is attached to the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow, the ball entry unit includes: a first component member that has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to block from the front an opening that penetrates the gaming panel; and a second component member that has a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component member and is attached from the rear side of the first component member (see chapter [12-1. Side unit of the second embodiment] in [Mode for carrying out the invention] and the descriptions in Figures 164 to 166, etc.).

As a result, the first component is attached to the front of the gaming panel with a mounting screw via the first mounting hole, and the second component is attached with a mounting screw via the second mounting hole, thereby increasing the rigidity of the ball-entering unit made up of the first and second components. Therefore, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, etc., when the mounting screw threaded into the gaming panel via the first mounting hole is removed and the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the ball-entering unit prevents the ball-entering unit from bending. Therefore, the positioning protrusion of the ball-entering unit (first component) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole in the gaming panel. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel, thereby providing a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

In addition, because the second component is attached to the rear of the first component with a mounting screw through the second mounting hole, the mounting screws that attach the second component are less visible from the front, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

It is desirable to provide a first mounting hole in the first component for mounting to the gaming panel near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole in the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

The second component may also be attached from the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening. This allows the second component, which is attached from the back side of the first component, to protrude into the opening of the gaming panel. This makes it possible to make more effective use of the gaming panel's thickness than when the second component protrudes from the front or rear of the gaming panel, making it easier to secure empty space in front of or behind the gaming panel. This makes it possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, movable gadgets, and other presentation devices in this empty space, providing a gaming machine that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, the second component may be attached from the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and may have a ball passage between it and the first component, which allows game balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the game panel. As a result, the second component is provided with a ball passage that allows game balls to flow down along the surface of the game panel, and the cross section of the ball passage is U-shaped, which increases the rigidity of the second component. Furthermore, since the second component, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage, is attached from the rear side of the first component to form the ball entrance unit, the rigidity of the ball entrance unit can be further increased, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, the second component attached from the back side of the first component protrudes into the opening of the gaming panel, and a ball passage is provided between the first and second component members to allow gaming balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the gaming panel. This makes it possible to make more effective use of the gaming panel's thickness and more easily secure empty space behind the gaming panel compared to when the ball passage is provided behind the rear surface of the gaming panel. This makes it possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, movable gadgets, and other presentation devices in this empty space, providing a gaming machine that is more appealing to players.

It is also desirable to provide at least two positioning protrusions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component. This means that multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, so when the ball scoring unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, and the ball scoring unit can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel.

However, when multiple positioning protrusions are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction on a conventional ball-entering unit with low rigidity, pulling the ball-entering unit forward during disassembly causes the center of the ball-entering unit to bend in a curved shape, moving forward. This bending creates a force that tilts the longitudinally spaced positioning protrusions so that their tips approach each other, preventing the positioning protrusions from coming out of the positioning holes in the gaming panel. In contrast, as described above, when multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, the rigidity of the ball-entering unit is increased by attaching the second component to the first component. Therefore, even if the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, the ball-entering unit does not bend and the spaced apart positioning protrusions do not tilt. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel, providing a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide the ball entry openings on the first component member so that they protrude forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel. This allows multiple ball entry openings to protrude forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel, so that when pulling the ball entry unit forward to remove it from the gaming panel during disassembly of the gaming machine, the ball entry openings can be grasped and pulled, making it easier to remove the ball entry unit.

The second component may also have multiple ball entry ports that protrude forward beyond the front surface of the first component, and a flat front plate connecting the front ends of the multiple ball entry ports. This allows the second component, which connects the front ends of the multiple ball entry ports that protrude forward with the flat front plate, to be attached to the rear side of the first component, which is attached to the front surface of the gaming panel, via the first mounting hole to form a ball entry unit. This provides greater rigidity than conventional ball entry units, and can achieve the same effects as those described above.

The first component may also have a flat base plate that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel. By providing the first component with a flat base plate, the base plate can be used to block the opening in the gaming panel from the front by attaching the first component to the front surface of the gaming panel through the first mounting hole. This allows the rear of the gaming panel to be hidden by the base plate from the front (player side) through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. In this case, the flat base plate may reduce the rigidity of the first component, but because the second component is attached from the rear of the first component, the rigidity of the ball-scoring unit formed by the first and second components can be increased compared to that of conventional ball-scoring units, achieving the same effects as those described above.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Measure 2, the second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening (see the description of the second component 2812 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, the second component, which is attached from the back side of the first component, protrudes into the opening of the gaming panel. This makes more effective use of the gaming panel's thickness than if the second component protruded from the front or rear of the gaming panel, making it easier to secure empty space in front of or behind the gaming panel. This makes it possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, movable gadgets, and other presentation devices in this empty space, providing a gaming machine that is more appealing to players.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between the first component and the second component that allows game balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the game panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 3, the second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between it and the first component that allows game balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the game panel (see the description of the second component 2812 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, the second component is provided with a ball passage that allows game balls to flow down along the surface of the gaming panel, and the cross section of the ball passage is U-shaped, which increases the rigidity of the second component. Furthermore, the second component, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage, is attached from the rear side of the first component to form the ball entry unit, which further increases the rigidity of the ball entry unit, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, the second component, which is attached from the back side of the first component, protrudes into the opening of the gaming panel, and a ball passage is provided between the first and second component members to allow gaming balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the gaming panel. This makes it possible to make more effective use of the gaming panel's thickness and more easily secure empty space behind the gaming panel than when the ball passage is provided behind the rear surface of the gaming panel. This makes it possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, movable gadgets, and other presentation devices in this empty space, providing a gaming machine that is more appealing to players.

When installing a ball sensor to detect game balls circulating in the ball passage, it is desirable to install the ball sensor within the thickness of the game panel (inside the opening). Alternatively, it is desirable to install the ball sensor below the performance device (movable prop) installed behind it. This prevents the ball sensor from interfering with the performance device, and makes it possible to increase the range of motion of the movable prop.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"At least two of the positioning protrusions are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 4, at least two positioning protrusions are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component (see the description of the first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, the multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, so when the ball-scoring unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, and the ball-scoring unit can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel.

However, when a conventional ball-entering unit with low rigidity has multiple positioning protrusions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, pulling the ball-entering unit forward during disassembly causes the center of the ball-entering unit to bend in a curved shape and move forward. This bending creates a force that tilts the longitudinally spaced positioning protrusions so that their tips approach each other, preventing the positioning protrusions from coming out of the positioning holes in the gaming panel. In contrast, with this configuration, the rigidity of the ball-entering unit is increased by attaching the second component to the first component as described above. Therefore, even when the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, the ball-entering unit does not bend and the longitudinally spaced positioning protrusions do not tilt. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel, providing a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 5,
"The ball entrance is provided in the first component member so as to protrude forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the ball entrance is provided in the first component so as to protrude forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel (see the description of the first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, multiple ball entry ports protrude forward from the front of the gaming panel, so when disassembling the gaming machine, the ball entry port can be grasped and pulled when pulling the ball entry unit forward to remove it from the gaming panel, making it easier to remove the ball entry unit.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 5,
The second component member has a plurality of ball inlets that protrude forward beyond the front surface of the first component member, and a flat front plate that connects the front ends of the plurality of ball inlets.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 6, the second component has multiple ball inlets that protrude forward beyond the front surface of the first component, and a flat front plate that connects the front ends of the multiple ball inlets (see the description of the second component 2812A of the side unit 2800D in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, the ball entry unit is constructed by attaching the second component, which connects the front ends of multiple forward-protruding ball entry ports with a flat front plate, to the rear side of the first component, which is attached to the front surface of the gaming panel through the first mounting hole. This makes it more rigid than conventional ball entry units and achieves the same effects as those described above.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 6,
"The first component member has a flat base plate that can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 7, the first component member has a flat base plate that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel (see the description of the first component member 2811 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, because the first component is provided with a flat base plate, by attaching the first component to the front of the gaming panel via the first mounting hole, the base plate can block the opening in the gaming panel from the front. This makes it possible to hide the rear of the gaming panel from the front (player side) through the opening with the base plate, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. In this case, the flat base plate can reduce the rigidity of the first component, but because the second component is attached from the rear of the first component, the rigidity of the ball-scoring unit made up of the first and second component members can be increased compared to the rigidity of conventional ball-scoring units, achieving the same effects as those described above.

Means 8: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component member having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, the first component member being attached to the gaming panel so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the gaming panel from the front side;
a second component member having a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component member and attached to the rear side of the first component member;
Equipped with
The first component member has a flat base plate from which the positioning protrusion protrudes and through which the first mounting hole penetrates, and which can abut against the front surface of the game panel, and at least two of the positioning protrusions are provided so as to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate, and the ball entrance is provided so as to protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate,
The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between it and the first component that allows game balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the game panel.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 8, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has a plurality of ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and is attached to the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow down, the ball entry unit comprises a first component member that has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to block the opening that penetrates the gaming panel from the front side, and a second component member that has a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component member and is attached from the rear side of the first component member. The first component has a flat base plate with a positioning projection protruding therefrom and a first mounting hole passing therethrough that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel. At least two positioning projections are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate, and the ball entrance is provided so as to protrude forward of the front surface of the base plate. The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between it and the first component that allows gaming balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the gaming panel.

As a result, because the first component is provided with a flat base plate, by attaching the first component to the front of the gaming panel by screwing mounting screws into the gaming panel through the first mounting holes that penetrate the base plate, the base plate can block the opening of the gaming panel from the front. This allows the rear of the gaming panel to be hidden by the base plate from the front (player side) through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. Meanwhile, the second component is provided with a ball passage that allows gaming balls to flow down along the surface of the gaming panel. The cross section of the ball passage is U-shaped, which increases the rigidity of the second component. While the flat base plate can reduce the rigidity of the first component, the second component, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage, is attached to the rear of the first component through the second mounting holes with mounting screws, thereby forming the ball entry unit. This increases the rigidity of the ball entry unit compared to conventional ball entry units. Therefore, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, etc., the ball-scoring unit will not bend when the mounting screw threaded into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole is removed and the ball-scoring unit is pulled forward. This increases the rigidity of the ball-scoring unit, so the positioning protrusion of the ball-scoring unit (first component) will not tilt relative to the positioning hole in the gaming panel. This allows the ball-scoring unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel, providing a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

However, because the multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, when the first component is pulled forward during disassembly, the first component bends in a curved shape, moving the center of the first component forward. This bending creates a force that tilts the longitudinally spaced positioning protrusions so that their tips approach each other, potentially preventing the positioning protrusions from being removed from the positioning holes in the gaming panel. However, in this configuration, as described above, the second component is attached to the rear of the first component to form the ball-entering unit, and the rigidity of this ball-entering unit is increased. Therefore, even when the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, the ball-entering unit does not bend and the spaced apart positioning protrusions do not tilt. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel, resulting in a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Furthermore, because the multiple ball entry ports protrude forward from the front of the gaming panel, when disassembling the gaming machine, the ball entry port can be grasped and pulled when pulling the ball entry unit forward to remove it from the gaming panel, making it easier to remove the ball entry unit.

In addition, because the second component is attached to the rear of the first component with a mounting screw through the second mounting hole, the mounting screws that attach the second component are less visible from the front, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

In addition, a ball passage that allows game balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the game panel is provided between the first and second component members, protruding into the opening of the game panel. This makes it possible to make effective use of the game panel's thickness and make it easier to secure empty space behind the game panel, compared to conventional ball entrance units that guide game balls that enter the ball entrance behind the rear surface of the game panel and provide a ball passage behind the rear surface of the game panel to allow them to flow downward. This makes it possible to provide presentation devices such as decorative elements, LED boards, and movable parts in this empty space, making it possible to provide a game machine that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, since the multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, when the ball-scoring unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, and the ball-scoring unit can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel.

Furthermore, if the first mounting hole for mounting the first component to the gaming panel is provided near the positioning protrusion, the mounting screw can be screwed into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole in the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required when sorting for recycling, etc.

[15-7c. Relationship between the solution of the seventh technical feature and embodiments]
The panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solving means, the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solving means, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above-mentioned solving means, the general winning port 2001 in this embodiment, the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811, and the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component member 2812 correspond to the ball entrance ports of the above-mentioned solving means, and the side unit 2800, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, side unit 2800F, and side unit 2800G in this embodiment correspond to the ball entrance units of the above-mentioned solving means, respectively.

In addition, the first component 2811 and the first component 2811A in this embodiment correspond to the first component of the solution, the base plate 2811a in this embodiment corresponds to the base plate of the solution, the positioning protrusion 2811c in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning protrusion of the solution, the mounting hole 2811d in this embodiment corresponds to the first mounting hole of the solution, the second component 2812 and the second component 2812A in this embodiment correspond to the second component of the solution, the ball passage 2812a and the ball passage 2812f in this embodiment correspond to the ball passage of the solution, the front plate 2812d in this embodiment corresponds to the front plate of the solution, and the mounting hole of the second component 2812 in this embodiment corresponds to the second mounting hole of the solution.

[15-7d. Characteristic effects of the seventh technical feature]
Here, side unit 2800 will be described as a representative of the features of side unit 2800, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, side unit 2800F, and side unit 2800G in this embodiment. According to this embodiment, in the side unit 2800 attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, a flat base plate 2811a is provided on the first component 2811, and by screwing mounting screws into the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 through mounting holes 2811d that pass through the base plate 2811a and attaching the first component 2811 to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the base plate 2811a can block the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 from the front side, and the base plate 2811a can hide the components at the rear of the gaming panel 1100 through the opening 1112 from the front side (player side), thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1. On the other hand, the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, and since the cross section of the ball passage 2812a is U-shaped, the presence of the ball passage 2812a can increase the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, since the base plate 2811a is flat, the rigidity of the first component 2811 may be reduced, but since the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811 with mounting screws through its mounting holes to form the side unit 2800, the rigidity of the side unit 2800 can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, in disassembling the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5) for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws screwed into the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 via the mounting holes 2811d are removed and the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 does not bend due to the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800, and the positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 in the side unit 2800 do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be easily removed from the panel plate 1110, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that can reduce the disassembly work required for sorting.

In the side unit 2800, the multiple positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are arranged so that they are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811. Therefore, when the first component 2811 is pulled forward during disassembly, the center of the first component 2811 bends in a curved shape so that it moves forward. This bending causes a force to tilt each of the positioning protrusions 2811c so that the tips of the positioning protrusions 2811c that are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction move closer to each other, which may prevent the positioning protrusions 2811c from being removed from the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100. However, in this embodiment, as described above, the side unit 2800 is formed by attaching the second component 2812 to the rear side of the first component 2811, and the rigidity of the side unit 2800 is increased. Therefore, even if the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 does not bend and the positioning protrusions 2811c, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, do not tilt. This means that the side unit 2800 can be easily removed from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Furthermore, according to the side unit 2800, multiple ball receiving portions 2811b (general winning openings 2001) protrude forward from the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, when pulling the side unit 2800 forward to remove it from the panel plate 1110 during disassembly of the pachinko machine 1, the ball receiving portions 2811b can be grasped and pulled, making it easier to remove the side unit 2800.

Furthermore, with the side unit 2800, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811 with mounting screws through its mounting holes, making it difficult to see the mounting screws attaching the second component 2812 from the front, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, according to the side unit 2800, a ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812, which protrudes into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the game ball B that has entered the ball receiving portion 2811b (general winning port 2001) to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100.Therefore, compared to conventional side units which guide the game ball B that has entered the general winning port 2001 behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) and provide a ball passage behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 to allow it to flow downward, the thickness of the panel plate 1110 can be effectively utilized, making it easier to secure empty space behind the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110). Therefore, it is possible to install presentation devices such as decorations, LED boards, and movable gadgets (below-the-scenes presentation unit 3500) in this empty space, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, according to the side unit 2800, the multiple positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811. Therefore, when the side unit 2800 is attached to the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the side unit 2800 does not rotate along the surface of the panel board 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the panel board 1110.

In addition, according to the side unit 2800, the mounting hole 2811d for mounting the first component 2811 to the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c. Therefore, by screwing a mounting screw into the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning protrusion 2811c can be firmly pressed against the panel plate 1110, ensuring that it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

[15-8. Eighth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-8a. Background of the eighth technical feature]
In recent years, the effective use of resources has become increasingly important against the backdrop of environmental issues. From this perspective, development is underway to form more parts of gaming machines from recyclable materials. On the other hand, the replacement cycles of gaming machines at gaming halls (amusement parlors) that install gaming machines are becoming shorter, and the number of gaming machines being disposed of and dismantled is on the rise. As a result, the burden of dismantling and sorting gaming machines is increasing, and there is a demand to reduce this work even as much as possible.

For example, in conventional gaming machines such as those shown in Patent Document A8 (JP 2017-018185 A), when attempting to disassemble the side unit (ball entry unit), which has multiple general winning slots as ball entry ports, by pulling it forward and removing it from the gaming panel, the positioning protrusions of the ball entry unit are inserted into the positioning holes of the gaming panel, and resistance to the inner surface of the positioning holes makes it difficult to remove the positioning protrusions, resulting in a time-consuming disassembly process.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required when separating parts for recycling, etc.

[15-8b. Solution of the eighth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The gaming panel includes:
It has an opening area through which game balls can flow from the front side to the rear side,
The ball entry unit is
The ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and an attachment hole for attachment to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel so as to block from the front a normal opening area of the opening area through which game balls that have entered the ball entry opening can pass, and is also attached to the game panel so that a part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit overlaps with a specific opening area of the opening area through which game balls that have not entered the ball entry opening can pass.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "ball entry port" refers to "a prize entry port that confers a specified bonus when a gaming ball enters (for example, a general prize entry port, regular prize entry port, start prize entry port (start prize entry port), big prize entry port, special prize entry port, V prize entry port, etc.)" and "an outlet port that ejects a gaming ball from the gaming machine without awarding a bonus even if the gaming ball enters, and without returning it to the player," etc.

Furthermore, examples of "game panels" include "those made of wooden plywood such as plywood," "those made of a panel board machined from a transparent resin board and a panel holder that holds the outer periphery of the panel board," and "those made by injection molding transparent resin."

Furthermore, examples of "opening areas" include "holes that penetrate the gaming panel and whose inner periphery is connected around the entire circumference," and "notch-like areas that penetrate the gaming panel and have a portion that is open to the side of the gaming panel." Furthermore, "opening areas" include a normal opening area through which gaming balls that enter the ball entry opening can pass, and a specific opening area (out opening) through which gaming balls that do not enter the ball entry opening can pass, and the specific opening area may be connected to the normal opening area, or the specific opening area may be independent and not connected to the normal opening area.

Examples of "ball entry units" include "ones that are at least composed of a first component attached to the front of the gaming panel so as to block the normal opening area that penetrates the gaming panel from the front, and a second component attached from the rear of the first component, with a ball entry port provided in the first component or the second component," "ones that are at least composed of a flat base plate attached to the front of the gaming panel so as to block the normal opening area that penetrates the gaming panel from the front, and a ball receiving portion that protrudes forward from the base plate and is open upward and rearward, forming a ball entry port," and "ones that are at least composed of a flat base plate attached to the front of the gaming panel so as to block the normal opening area that penetrates the gaming panel from the front, and a ball entry port that penetrates the base plate."

Furthermore, "a part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit that overlaps the ball outlet" means that the part overlaps with the ball outlet when viewed from the front, and the outer edge constituting the part may be in contact with the front surface of the gaming panel, or the outer edge may be separated from the surface of the gaming panel.

According to the configuration of means 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming panel has an opening area through which gaming balls can flow from the front side to the rear side, and the ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and an attachment hole for attachment to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to block from the front a normal opening area of the opening area through which gaming balls that have entered the ball entry ports can flow, and is attached to the gaming panel so that a portion of the outer edge of the ball entry unit overlaps a specific opening area of the opening area through which gaming balls that have not entered the ball entry ports can flow (see the descriptions in Chapter 12-3. Side Units, etc. of the Third Embodiment in [Embodiment of the Invention], Figures 173 and 175, etc.).

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by inserting the ball entry unit's positioning protrusion into the gaming panel's positioning hole from the front and then screwing and tightening the mounting screw into the gaming panel through the mounting hole. The ball that enters the ball entry port of the ball entry unit can be guided to the rear of the gaming panel through the normal opening area of the opening area of the gaming panel. Since the normal opening area of the gaming panel is blocked from the front by the ball entry unit, the rear of the gaming panel can be obscured and hidden through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. When the ball entry unit is attached to the front of the gaming panel, a portion of the outer edge of the ball entry unit overlaps with the specific opening area of the opening area (when viewed from the front, a portion of the outer edge overlaps with the projected range of the specific opening area), so a portion of the outer edge protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling or the like, the ball-scoring unit can be removed from the gaming panel by hooking a worker's finger or tool on the part of the ball-scoring unit's outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area, allowing the ball-scoring unit to be pulled forward with great force. This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can easily remove the ball-scoring unit from the gaming panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning protrusion, reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

It is desirable to provide a mounting hole for attaching the ball entry unit to the gaming panel near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the gaming panel through the mounting hole and tightened, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole on the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

The front surface of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit may also be inclined toward the rear. Since the front surface of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit is inclined toward the rear, the corners of the outer edge are obtuse angles. Therefore, when a worker hooks their fingers or other objects on the part of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit that overlaps with the specific opening area to remove the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of the gaming machine, even if their fingers or other objects come into contact with the corners of the outer edge, the obtuse angle makes it less likely that the fingers or other objects will be injured compared to when the corners are right angles, and the ball-entering unit can be safely removed with the fingers or other objects.

Furthermore, when the front surface of the outer edge is inclined as described above, the corner of the outer edge of the ball entry unit becomes an obtuse angle. Therefore, compared to when the corner is a right angle, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter the specific opening area, the corner of the outer edge will not chip, thereby improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

Furthermore, as described above, by tilting the outer edge of the ball entry unit backward, the game ball can be smoothly guided into the specific opening area, preventing the game ball from becoming stuck in the specific opening area.

Furthermore, it is desirable to make the outer edge of the ball-entering unit transparent. This makes it possible to avoid the specific opening area appearing smaller in size, even if part of the outer edge overlaps with the specific opening area, since the outer edge of the ball-entering unit is made transparent.

It is also desirable to provide the positioning protrusions at a location close to the specific opening area and at a location far from the specific opening area. This means that the two positioning protrusions are spaced apart from each other, so when the ball-entering unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, and the ball-entering unit can be reliably positioned at the desired location on the gaming panel.

However, if the ball-entering unit has two positioning protrusions that are inserted into positioning holes in the gaming panel, attempting to simultaneously pull both positioning protrusions out of the positioning holes when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly requires the ball-entering unit to be pulled forward with great force, which could increase the burden on the worker. In contrast, if positioning protrusions are provided at locations close to and far from the specific opening area as described above, one positioning protrusion is provided near the specific opening area. Therefore, when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling, etc., the worker can hook their finger or other object onto the portion of the ball-entering unit's outer edge that overlaps the specific opening area and pull it forward, applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion close to the specific opening area. As a result, during disassembly, of the two positioning protrusions, the one closest to the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole first, and then the remaining positioning protrusion farther from the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole. This means that the positioning protrusions can be removed with less force than if two positioning protrusions were to be removed at the same time, reducing the workload.

Also, the portion of the outer edge that overlaps the specific opening area may be made to penetrate the specific opening area and protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel. However, when disassembling a gaming machine, if an operator hooks their fingers or the like on the portion of the outer edge that overlaps the specific opening area and pulls it forward to remove the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel, if the strength of that portion is weak, there is a risk that the outer edge will crack and the ball-entering unit will remain on the gaming panel. In contrast, as described above, by increasing the depth of the portion of the outer edge of the ball entry unit that overlaps with the specific opening area, the size of the specific opening area (ball discharge port) is smaller (the passage volume for discharging game balls is smaller) compared to a method in which part of the outer edge (extension portion) overlaps on the front of the game panel, or the size of the specific opening area (ball discharge port) is increased in advance (the passage volume for discharging game balls is increased), but because the strength of this portion can be increased, it will not break (be damaged) even if an operator hooks their finger or the like on this portion and pulls forward, and the ball entry unit can be reliably removed from the game panel.

Furthermore, as described above, if the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area is made to penetrate the specific opening area and protrude further rearward than the rear surface of the gaming panel, this portion can cover the inner surface of the specific opening area, making it difficult for players to see, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, the ball entry unit may have a flat base plate that forms the outer edge and has a positioning protrusion protruding from it and a mounting hole penetrating it, and that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel. This allows the ball entry unit to have a flat base plate, and by attaching the ball entry unit to the front surface of the gaming panel through the mounting hole, the base plate can block the normal opening area of the gaming panel from the front side. This makes it possible to use the base plate to hide the rear of the gaming panel from the front side (player side) through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Means 2: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow,
a ball entry unit having a ball entry port through which a game ball can enter;
A ball outlet into which game balls that did not enter the ball entrance can enter,
The ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion to be inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and an attachment hole for attachment to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel so as to fit into a normal opening area formed in the game panel,
The ball discharge port is configured by a specific opening area formed in the gaming panel separate from the normal opening area into which the ball entry unit is fitted,
An extension portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball entry unit,
The extension portion is formed so that at least a portion thereof overlaps the edge of the specific opening area when the positioning protrusion of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the game panel.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "normal opening areas" and "specific opening areas" include "hole-like areas that penetrate the gaming panel and whose inner periphery is connected around the entire circumference," "notch-like areas that penetrate the gaming panel and have a portion that is open to the side of the gaming panel," etc.

According to the configuration of means 2, an amusement machine equipped with a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow down includes a ball entry unit having a ball entry port through which gaming balls can enter, and a ball discharge port through which gaming balls that do not enter the ball entry port can enter. The ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and an attachment hole for attachment to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to fit into a normal opening area formed in the gaming panel. The ball discharge port is formed by a specific opening area formed in the gaming panel separate from the normal opening area into which the ball entry unit fits. An extension portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball entry unit, and at least a portion of the extension portion is formed to overlap the edge of the specific opening area when the positioning protrusion of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the gaming panel (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figures 173 and 174 in [Form for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by inserting the ball entry unit's positioning protrusion into the gaming panel's positioning hole from the front and then screwing and tightening the mounting screw into the gaming panel through the mounting hole. The ball that enters the ball entry unit's entry port can be guided to the rear of the gaming panel through the gaming panel's normal opening area. Because the ball entry unit is attached to the gaming panel so that it fits into the normal opening area of the gaming panel, the rear of the gaming panel can be hidden and made difficult to see through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. When the ball entry unit is attached to the front of the gaming panel, the extension of the ball entry unit's outer edge is formed so that a portion of it overlaps the edge of the specific opening area (when viewed from the front, a portion of the outer edge overlaps the projected range of the specific opening area), and therefore a portion of the extension protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, when removing the ball-scoring unit from the gaming panel during disassembly for recycling or other purposes, the worker can hook their fingers or tools on the portion (extension) on the outer edge of the ball-scoring unit that overlaps with the edge of the specific opening area, allowing them to pull the ball-scoring unit forward with great force. This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that allows the ball-scoring unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning protrusion, reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

In addition, because the ball outlet (specific opening area) is formed separately from the normal opening area on the gaming panel, the strength of the gaming panel can be prevented from decreasing compared to when the normal opening area and the specific opening area are connected.

Means 3: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow,
a ball entry unit having a ball entry port through which a game ball can enter;
A ball outlet into which game balls that did not enter the ball entrance can enter,
The ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion to be inserted into a positioning hole provided on the gaming panel, and an attachment hole for attachment to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to be inserted into a normal opening area formed on the gaming panel,
The ball discharge port is formed on the game panel so as to be continuous with the normal opening area into which the ball entry unit is fitted, but is composed of a specific opening area into which the ball entry unit is not fitted,
An extension portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball entry unit,
The extension portion is formed so that at least a portion thereof overlaps the edge of the specific opening area when the positioning protrusion of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the game panel.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 3, an amusement machine equipped with a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow down includes a ball entry unit having a ball entry port through which gaming balls can enter, and a ball discharge port through which gaming balls that do not enter the ball entry port can enter. The ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and an attachment hole for attachment to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to be inserted into a normal opening area formed in the gaming panel. The ball discharge port is formed in the gaming panel so as to be continuous with the normal opening area into which the ball entry unit is fitted, but is composed of a specific opening area into which the ball entry unit is not fitted. An extension portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball entry unit, and at least a portion of the extension portion is formed to overlap the edge of the specific opening area when the positioning protrusion of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the gaming panel (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 175 in [Form for implementing the invention]).

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by inserting the ball entry unit's positioning protrusion into the gaming panel's positioning hole from the front and then screwing and tightening the mounting screw into the gaming panel through the mounting hole. The ball that enters the ball entry unit's entry port can be guided to the rear of the gaming panel through the gaming panel's normal opening area. Because the ball entry unit is attached to the gaming panel so that it fits into the normal opening area of the gaming panel, the rear of the gaming panel can be hidden and made difficult to see through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. When the ball entry unit is attached to the front of the gaming panel, the extension of the ball entry unit's outer edge is formed so that a portion of it overlaps the edge of the specific opening area (when viewed from the front, a portion of the outer edge overlaps the projected range of the specific opening area), and therefore a portion of the extension protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, when removing the ball-scoring unit from the gaming panel during disassembly for recycling or other purposes, the worker can hook their fingers or tools on the portion (extension) on the outer edge of the ball-scoring unit that overlaps with the edge of the specific opening area, allowing them to pull the ball-scoring unit forward with great force. This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that allows the ball-scoring unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning protrusion, reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

In addition, because the ball outlet (specific opening area) is formed on the gaming panel so that it is continuous with the normal opening area, when a cutting tool such as an end mill is used to form the normal opening area and the specific opening area on the gaming panel, the normal opening area and the specific opening area can be cut continuously, thereby reducing the cost of the gaming panel.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The ball-entering unit is inclined so that the front surface of the outer edge faces rearward."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 4, the ball-entering unit has the front surface of its outer edge inclined toward the rear (see the description of the base plate 2811a, finger rest 2816, and finger rest 2817 of the first component 2811 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, the front surface of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit is inclined toward the rear, resulting in an obtuse corner on the outer edge. Therefore, when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of the gaming machine, even if the worker's finger or other object comes into contact with the corner of the outer edge when hooking the part of the ball-entering unit's outer edge (extension portion) that overlaps with the specific opening area, the obtuse angle of the corner makes it less likely that the finger or other object will be injured compared to when the corner is a right angle, and the ball-entering unit can be safely removed with the finger or other object.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, because the corners of the outer edge of the ball entry unit are obtuse angles, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter the specific opening area, the corners of the outer edge will not chip, compared to when the corners are right angles, thereby improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

In addition, the outer edge of the ball entry unit is tilted backward, allowing the game ball to be smoothly guided into the specific opening area, preventing the game ball from becoming stuck in the specific opening area.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The outer edge of the ball-entering unit is transparent."
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 5, the ball entry unit is characterized by having a transparent outer edge (see the description regarding the base plate 2811a of the first component member 2811 in the [Form for implementing the invention]).

This makes the outer edge of the ball-entering unit transparent, so even if part of the outer edge overlaps the specific opening area, it is possible to avoid the specific opening area appearing smaller.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 5,
"The positioning protrusions are provided at a portion close to the specific opening region and at a portion far from the specific opening region."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 6, the positioning protrusions are provided in a region close to the specific opening region and a region far from the specific opening region (see the description of the positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 in the "Description of Embodiments").

As a result, the two positioning protrusions are spaced apart from each other, so when the ball-entering unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, and the ball-entering unit can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel.

However, if the ball-entering unit has two positioning protrusions that are inserted into positioning holes in the gaming panel, attempting to simultaneously pull both positioning protrusions out of the positioning holes when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly requires the ball-entering unit to be pulled forward with great force, which could increase the burden on the worker. In contrast, with this configuration, one positioning protrusion is provided near the specific opening area. Therefore, when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling, etc., the worker can hook their finger or other object onto the part of the outer edge (extension portion) of the ball-entering unit that overlaps with the specific opening area and pull it forward, applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion close to the specific opening area. As a result, during disassembly, of the two positioning protrusions, the one closest to the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole first, and then the remaining positioning protrusion farther from the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole. This means that the positioning protrusions can be removed with less force than if two positioning protrusions were to be removed at the same time, reducing the workload.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 6,
"The portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area penetrates the specific opening area and protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 7, the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area penetrates the specific opening area and protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel (see the description of the finger grip portion 2817 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

When disassembling a gaming machine, if an operator hooks their fingers or other objects around the portion of the outer edge (extension portion) that overlaps the specific opening area and pulls it forward to remove the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel, there is a risk that the outer edge will break, leaving the ball-entering unit on the gaming panel. In contrast, with this configuration, the depth of the portion of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit that overlaps the specific opening area is increased, which reduces the size of the specific opening area (ball outlet) compared to a method in which part of the outer edge (extension portion) overlaps with the front of the gaming panel (reducing the passage volume for discharging game balls). Alternatively, the size of the specific opening area (ball outlet) must be increased in advance (increasing the passage volume for discharging game balls). However, because the strength of this portion can be increased, even if an operator hooks their fingers or other objects around this portion and pulls it forward, it will not break (be damaged), and the ball-entering unit can be reliably removed from the gaming panel.

In addition, the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area penetrates the specific opening area and protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel, covering the inner surface of the specific opening area and making it difficult for players to see, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Means 8: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 7,
The ball entry unit is characterized by having a flat base plate that forms the outer edge, with the positioning protrusion protruding and the mounting hole passing through it, and that can abut against the front surface of the game panel.

According to the configuration of means 8, the ball-entering unit has a flat base plate that forms the outer edge and has a positioning protrusion protruding from it and a mounting hole penetrating it, and that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel (see the description of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, the ball entry unit is equipped with a flat base plate, and by attaching the ball entry unit to the front of the gaming panel via the mounting holes, the base plate can block the normal opening area of the gaming panel from the front. This makes it possible to hide the rear of the gaming panel from the front (player side) through the normal opening area with the base plate, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Means 9: In any one of the configurations of means 1 and means 4 to 8,
"The specific opening area is not connected to the normal opening area and is provided independently so as to penetrate the gaming panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 9, the specific opening area is not connected to the normal opening area but is provided independently so as to penetrate the gaming panel (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figures 173 and 174 in the [Form for Carrying Out the Invention]).

In addition to achieving the same effects as above, this configuration also prevents a decrease in the strength of the gaming panel, since the specific opening area is provided independently of the normal opening area and is not connected to the normal opening area.

Means 10: In any one of the configurations of means 1 and means 4 to 8,
"The specific opening area is provided so as to be connected to the normal opening area."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 10, the specific opening area is arranged so as to be connected to the normal opening area (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 175 in the "Form for implementing the invention").

In addition to achieving the same effects as above, this also means that the specific opening area and the normal opening area are connected, so when forming opening areas (normal opening area and specific opening area) on the gaming panel using a cutting tool such as an end mill, the normal opening area and the specific opening area can be cut continuously, reducing the cost of the gaming panel.

Means 11: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The gaming panel includes:
The game panel has an opening area in which game balls can flow from the front side to the rear side, and which is made up of a normal opening area through which game balls that have entered the ball entrance can flow, and a specific opening area through which game balls that have not entered the ball entrance can flow, and the specific opening area is not connected to the normal opening area but penetrates the game panel independently, or the specific opening area is connected to the normal opening area,
The ball entry unit is
a flat base plate that can contact the front surface of the game panel, a positioning protrusion that protrudes from the base plate and is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and an attachment hole that penetrates the base plate and is used for attachment to the game panel; the base plate is attached to the game panel so as to close the normal opening area of the opening area from the front side, and the base plate is attached to the game panel so that a part of the transparent outer edge of the base plate overlaps the specific opening area of the opening area;
Furthermore, the front surface of the outer edge of the base plate is inclined toward the rear, and the positioning protrusions are provided at a portion close to the ball discharge port and a portion far from the ball discharge port.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 11, in a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming panel is configured to allow gaming balls to flow from the front side to the rear side, and is composed of a normal opening area through which gaming balls that have entered the ball entry port can flow and a specific opening area through which gaming balls that have not entered the ball entry port can flow, and the specific opening area is not connected to the normal opening area but penetrates the gaming panel independently, or the specific opening area is connected to the normal opening area, and the ball entry unit is It has a flat base plate that can abut against the front of the panel, positioning protrusions that protrude from the base plate and are inserted into positioning holes provided in the gaming panel, and mounting holes that penetrate the base plate for mounting to the gaming panel. It is attached to the gaming panel so as to cover the normal opening area of the opening area from the front, and is attached to the gaming panel so that part of the transparent outer edge of the base plate overlaps the specific opening area of the opening area. Furthermore, the front of the outer edge of the base plate is inclined toward the rear, and positioning protrusions are provided in areas close to the ball discharge opening and areas far from the ball discharge opening.

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by inserting the positioning protrusions protruding from the base plate of the ball entry unit into the positioning holes of the gaming panel from the front, abutting the base plate against the front surface of the gaming panel, and then screwing and tightening mounting screws into the gaming panel through the mounting holes that penetrate the base plate. Balls that enter the ball entry port of the ball entry unit can be guided to the rear of the gaming panel through the normal opening area of the opening area of the gaming panel. Since the normal opening area of the gaming panel is blocked from the front by the base plate of the ball entry unit, the rear of the gaming panel can be obscured and hidden through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. When the ball entry unit is attached to the front surface of the gaming panel, a portion of the transparent outer edge of the base plate of the ball entry unit overlaps with the specific opening area of the opening area (when viewed from the front, a portion of the outer edge overlaps the projection range of the specific opening area), so a portion of the outer edge protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling or other purposes, the ball-scoring unit can be removed from the gaming panel by hooking a worker's fingers or tools into the area of the base plate's outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area. By hooking a finger or tool, the ball-scoring unit can be pulled forward with great force along with the base plate. This makes it possible to easily remove the ball-scoring unit from the gaming panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning protrusion, providing a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

However, if the ball-entering unit has two positioning protrusions that are inserted into positioning holes in the gaming panel, attempting to simultaneously pull both positioning protrusions out of the positioning holes when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly requires the ball-entering unit to be pulled forward with great force, which could increase the burden on the worker. In contrast, with this configuration, the positioning protrusions are provided at locations close to and far from the specific opening area. Therefore, when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling, etc., the worker can hook their fingers or other objects onto the portion of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit that overlaps the specific opening area and pull it forward, applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion closest to the specific opening area. As a result, during disassembly, of the two positioning protrusions, the one closest to the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole first, and then the remaining positioning protrusion farther from the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole. This means that the positioning protrusions can be removed with less force than if two positioning protrusions were to be removed at the same time, reducing the workload.

In addition, because the front surface of the outer edge of the base plate of the ball-entering unit is inclined toward the rear, the corners of the outer edge are obtuse. Therefore, when a worker hooks their fingers or other objects on the part of the ball-entering unit's outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area to remove the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of the gaming machine, even if their fingers or other objects come into contact with the corners of the outer edge, the obtuse angle makes it less likely that the fingers or other objects will be injured compared to when the corners are right angles, and the ball-entering unit can be safely removed with the fingers or other objects.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, because the corners of the outer edge of the ball entry unit are obtuse angles, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter the specific opening area, the corners of the outer edge will not chip, compared to when the corners are right angles, thereby improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

In addition, the front surface of the outer edge of the base plate of the ball entry unit is inclined toward the rear, resulting in an obtuse angle at the corner of the outer edge. Therefore, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter the specific opening area, the obtuse angle of the outer edge prevents the outer edge from chipping, improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

In addition, the outer edge of the base plate in the ball entry unit is tilted backward, allowing the game ball to be smoothly guided into the specific opening area, preventing the game ball from becoming stuck in the specific opening area.

Furthermore, because the outer edge of the base plate in the ball-entering unit is transparent, even if part of the outer edge overlaps with the specific opening area, the size of the specific opening area does not appear smaller.

In addition, because the two positioning protrusions are spaced apart, when the ball-entering unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, allowing the ball-entering unit to be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel.

It is desirable to provide a mounting hole for attaching the ball entry unit to the gaming panel near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the gaming panel through the mounting hole and tightened, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole on the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required when sorting for recycling, etc.

[15-8c. Relationship between the solution of the eighth technical feature and embodiments]
The outlet 1008 and the specific opening area 1103 in the game board 5 of this embodiment correspond to the ball outlet (specific opening area) of the above-mentioned solving means, the opening area 1101 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening area of the above-mentioned solving means, the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solving means, the opening 1112 and the normal opening area 1102 of the panel board 1110 in this embodiment correspond to the normal opening area of the above-mentioned solving means, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above-mentioned solving means, the general winning port 2001 in this embodiment and the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811 correspond to the ball entry port of the above-mentioned solving means, and the side unit 2800G in this embodiment corresponds to the ball entry unit of the above-mentioned solving means.

In addition, the base plate 2811a in this embodiment corresponds to the base plate (extension) of the above-mentioned solution, the positioning protrusion 2811c in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning protrusion of the above-mentioned solution, and the mounting hole 2811d in this embodiment corresponds to the mounting hole of the above-mentioned solution. Furthermore, the finger hook portion 2816 and the finger hook portion 2817 in this embodiment correspond to the area where a portion of the outer edge (base plate, extension) of the ball receiving unit (side unit 2800G) overlaps with the ball discharge port (outlet 1008, specific opening area 1103) of the above-mentioned solution.

[15-8d. Characteristic effects of the eighth technical feature]
According to this embodiment, the positioning protrusion 2811c protruding from the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G on the gaming board 5 is inserted from the front into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110 on the gaming panel 1100, and the base plate 2811a is abutted against the front surface of the panel plate 1110. Then, a mounting screw is screwed into the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 through the mounting hole 2811d that penetrates the base plate 2811a and tightened, thereby enabling the side unit 2800G to be attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and the gaming ball B that has entered the ball entry port of the general winning port 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) of the side unit 2800G can be guided to the rear of the gaming panel 1100 through the opening 1112 (normal opening area 1102 of the opening area 1101) of the panel plate 1110. In this case, the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 is blocked from the front by the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G, so that the rear of the gaming panel 1100 can be hidden and made difficult to see through the opening 1112, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (gaming board 5). When the side unit 2800G is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, a part of the transparent outer edge (finger hook portion 2816 and finger hook portion 2817) of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is attached so as to overlap with the outlet 1008 (specific opening region 1103 of the opening region 1101) (in a front view, a part of the outer edge overlaps with the projection range of the outlet 1008), so that the finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817) protrudes toward the center of the outlet 1008. Furthermore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the worker can hook his/her fingers or tools on the finger hooks 2816 (2817) that overlap with the outlet 1008 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a, and by hooking his/her fingers or the like, the side unit 2800G can be pulled forward together with the base plate 2811a with great force. Therefore, the side unit 2800G can be easily removed from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 against the resistance between the positioning holes 1113 and the positioning protrusions 2811c, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that can reduce the disassembly work required for sorting.

However, since the side unit 2800G is provided with two positioning protrusions 2811c, each of which is inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 during disassembly, if an attempt is made to simultaneously pull out the two positioning protrusions 2811c from the positioning holes 1113, it will be necessary to pull the side unit 2800G forward with great force, which may increase the burden on the worker. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the positioning protrusions 2811c are provided at locations close to and far from the outlet 1008, so that when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, the worker can hook his/her finger or the like onto the finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817) that overlaps with the outlet 1008 at the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800 and pull it forward, thereby applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion 2811c that is close to the outlet 1008. As a result, during disassembly, of the two positioning protrusions 2811c, the positioning protrusion 2811c closest to the outlet 1008 can be removed from the positioning hole 1113 first, and then the remaining positioning protrusion 2811c farthest from the outlet 1008 can be removed from the positioning hole 1113. This means that the positioning protrusions 2811c can be removed with less force than when pulling out two positioning protrusions 2811c at the same time, reducing the workload.

In addition, because the front surface of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is inclined toward the rear, the corners of the outer edge are obtuse angles. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 to remove the side unit 2800G from the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the worker's fingers or the like are hooked on the finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817) that overlaps with the outlet 1008 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G. Even if the fingers or the like come into contact with the corners of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a, the obtuse angle of the corner makes it less likely that the fingers or the like will be injured compared to when the corners are right angles, and the side unit 2800G can be safely removed with the fingers or the like.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the corners of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G are obtuse angles. Therefore, compared to when the corners are right angles, even if the game ball B rolls along the outer edge of the base plate 2811a to enter the outlet 1008, the outer edge will not be chipped, thereby improving the durability of the side unit 2800G.

In addition, the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is tilted backward, allowing the game ball B to be smoothly guided to the outlet 1008, preventing the game ball B from becoming stuck at the outlet 1008.

Furthermore, because the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is transparent, even if part of the outer edge overlaps with the outlet 1008, as with the finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817), the outlet 1008 does not appear to be smaller in size.

Furthermore, because the two positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart from each other, when the side unit 2800G is attached to the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the side unit 2800G does not rotate along the surface of the panel board 1110, and the side unit 2800G can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the panel board 1110.

In addition, the mounting hole 2811d for mounting the side unit 2800G to the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c. By screwing a mounting screw into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning protrusion 2811c can be firmly pressed against the panel plate 1110, ensuring that it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

When disassembling the pachinko machine 1, in order to remove the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, if the worker hooks his/her fingers or the like on the part of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a that overlaps with the outlet 1008 and pulls it forward, if the strength of that part is weak, there is a risk that the outer edge will crack and the side unit 2800G will remain on the gaming panel 1100 side. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 174, the depth of the finger hook 2817 that overlaps the outlet 1008 at the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is increased. This reduces the size of the specific opening area 1103 (outlet 1008) (reducing the passage volume for discharging game ball B) compared to a method in which part of the outer edge (extension) of the base plate 2811a overlaps with the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. Alternatively, the size of the specific opening area 1103 (outlet 1008) is increased in advance (increasing the passage volume for discharging game ball B). However, because the strength of the finger hook 2817 can be increased, the finger hook 2817 will not crack (break) even if an operator hooks their finger or the like on it and pulls it forward, and the side unit 2800G can be reliably removed from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, the finger hook portion 2817 that overlaps with the outlet 1008 at the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G passes through the outlet 1008 and protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. This allows the finger hook portion 2817 to cover the inner surface of the outlet 1008, making it difficult for players to see, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

[15-9. Ninth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-9a. Background of the ninth technical feature]
In recent years, in gaming machines such as pachinko machines, in order to create effects that can attract the attention of players, the effect devices have been made larger, the range of movement of the effect devices has been widened, and the effect devices have been given flashy illumination decorations.

In conventional gaming machines such as Patent Document A9 (JP 2017-018185 A), a ball entry unit with multiple ball entry ports (e.g., general prize entry ports) is attached to the front of a gaming panel along which gaming balls flow. Gaming balls that enter the ball entry ports of this ball entry unit are guided to the rear of the gaming panel, where they are detected by a ball sensor in a ball guidance unit located behind the gaming panel and then ejected downward. To illuminate such a ball entry unit, an LED with an LED mounted on it must be installed behind the ball guidance unit located behind the ball entry unit. However, installing an LED board narrows the space behind the ball entry unit, making it difficult to secure more space for installation of performance devices.

The following measures take into consideration the above situation and aim to provide a gaming machine that can present more impactful effects by making it easier to secure space behind the ball-entering unit.

[15-9b. Solution of the ninth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, the first component being attached to the gaming panel so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the gaming panel from the front side;
a second component part having a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component part, the second component part being mounted from the rear side of the first component part so as to form a predetermined space within the opening together with the first component part;
An LED substrate on which an LED is mounted is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "ball entry port" refers to "a prize entry port that confers a specified bonus when a gaming ball enters (for example, a general prize entry port, regular prize entry port, start prize entry port (start prize entry port), big prize entry port, special prize entry port, V prize entry port, etc.)" and "an outlet port that ejects a gaming ball from the gaming machine without awarding a bonus even if the gaming ball enters, and without returning it to the player," etc.

Furthermore, examples of "game panels" include "those made of wooden plywood such as plywood," "those made of a panel board machined from a transparent resin board and a panel holder that holds the outer periphery of the panel board," and "those made by injection molding transparent resin."

Furthermore, the "LED substrate" may be attached to either the first component or the second component. Furthermore, the "non-contact surface portion" may be provided on either the first component or the second component, or on both the first and second component portions.

According to the configuration of means 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and is attached to the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow, the ball entry unit comprises: a first component that has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to block from the front an opening that penetrates the gaming panel; and a second component that has a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component, and is attached from the rear side of the first component so as to form a predetermined space within the opening together with the first component; and an LED board on which LEDs are mounted is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component (see chapter [12-2b. Side Unit Variation 2] in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention], Figure 168, etc.).

This allows the ball-scoring unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component via the second mounting hole with a mounting screw, inserting the positioning protrusion of the first component into the positioning hole of the gaming panel from the front, and then screwing and tightening the mounting screw into the gaming panel via the first mounting hole. The first component also blocks the opening that penetrates the gaming panel, making it difficult to see behind the gaming panel through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the gaming panel through the opening from the rear side of the gaming panel. The first component and the second component, which is attached to the rear of the first component via the second mounting hole with a mounting screw, form a space within the opening of the gaming panel, and an LED board is provided within this space, allowing the ball-scoring unit to be illuminated and decorated with LEDs on the LED board. In this case, because a space for the LED board is formed within the opening of the gaming panel, the space and the LED board can be contained within the thickness of the gaming panel, minimizing the amount of rearward protrusion from the rear surface of the gaming panel and ensuring more space behind the ball-scoring unit. This makes it possible to install large presentation devices or presentation devices with a wide range of movement behind the ball-scoring unit, allowing for more impactful presentations to be presented to players, resulting in a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

It is desirable to provide a first mounting hole for mounting the ball entry unit to the gaming panel near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole and tightened, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole on the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

It is also desirable to provide a non-contact surface portion on the ball entrance unit where the first and second components are in contact with each other. This allows the LED board to be provided in the space between the first and second components, and a non-contact surface portion on the contact surface portion where the first and second components are in contact with each other, so that heat from the LED board can be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion, thereby avoiding the effects of heat.

Furthermore, when a non-contact surface portion is provided as described above, the front end side of the opening in the gaming panel is blocked by the first component, so heat released to the outside from the non-contact surface portion does not flow to the front side of the gaming panel, but can be dissipated to the rear side of the gaming panel.

Furthermore, when providing a non-contact surface portion as described above, it is desirable to form the ball entry unit so that there is a gap between it and the inner periphery of the opening of the gaming panel, and to provide the non-contact surface portion on at least the upper contact surface portion. This allows the non-contact surface portion, which can dissipate heat from the LED board provided in the space formed by the first and second components, to be provided in at least the upper portion of the contact surface portion, so that the non-contact surface portion can reliably dissipate heat from the LED board to the outside and prevents heat from becoming trapped within the space. In this case, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the ball entry unit inserted into the opening of the gaming panel and the inner periphery of the opening. In other words, because there is a gap between the non-contact surface portion and the inner periphery of the opening, heat from the LED board can be reliably dissipated from the non-contact surface portion to the gap, and can be exhausted from within the opening through the gap.

Furthermore, when providing a non-contact surface portion as described above, it is desirable to provide the LED substrate so that it does not overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view. This makes it difficult for foreign matter such as dust or dirt to get onto the LED substrate, even if it enters the space in which the LED substrate is provided through the non-contact surface portion, and minimizes the effects of the foreign matter.

Furthermore, it is desirable to make the gaming panel opaque. By making the gaming panel opaque, light from the LEDs on the LED board does not enter the gaming panel through the inner periphery of the opening, but can be reflected by the inner periphery of the opening, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the LED light emission.

Furthermore, when a non-contact surface portion is provided as described above, the non-contact surface portion may be provided behind the rear surface of the gaming panel. This allows heat from the LED board provided in the space between the first component and the second component to be reliably dissipated behind the rear surface of the gaming panel through the non-contact surface portion, thereby avoiding the effects of heat.

The first component may also have a flat base plate with a positioning protrusion protruding from it and a mounting hole passing through it that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel. This allows the ball-entry unit to be provided with a flat base plate, and by attaching the ball-entry unit to the front surface of the gaming panel via the mounting hole, the base plate can block the opening in the gaming panel from the front. This makes it possible to use the base plate to hide the rear of the gaming panel from the front (player side) through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, as described above, by providing the first component with a base plate, the opening of the gaming panel can be blocked from the front by the base plate of the ball entry unit, allowing heat from the LED board located in the space between the first and second components to be dissipated to the rear side of the gaming panel through the non-contact surface portion, while also preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front side of the gaming panel from the rear side through the opening in the gaming panel.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The said entry unit is
A non-contact surface portion where the first component and the second component are not in contact with each other is provided in a part of the contact surface portion where the first component and the second component are in contact with each other.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 2, the ball entry unit has a non-contact surface portion where the first component and the second component are not in contact with each other, in part of the contact surface portion where they are in contact with each other (see the description of the side unit 2800B, contact surface portion 2830, and non-contact surface portion 2831 in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, an LED substrate is provided in the space between the first and second components, and a non-contact surface portion is provided in a portion of the contact surface portion where the first and second components are in contact with each other, allowing heat from the LED substrate to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion, thereby avoiding the effects of heat.

In addition, because the front end of the opening in the gaming panel is blocked by the first component, heat released to the outside from the non-contact surface portion does not flow to the front side of the gaming panel, but can be dissipated to the rear side of the gaming panel.

Means 3: In the configuration of Means 2,
The ball entry unit is formed so as to have a gap between it and the inner periphery of the opening of the gaming panel,
The non-contact surface portion is provided on at least the upper contact surface portion.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 3, the ball entry unit is formed so that there is a gap between it and the inner periphery of the opening of the gaming panel, and the non-contact surface portion is provided on at least the upper contact surface portion (see the description of the side unit 2800B and non-contact surface portion 2831 in the [Embodiment]).

As a result, a non-contact surface portion capable of radiating heat from the LED board located within the space formed by the first and second components is provided at least in the upper portion of the contact surface portion, so that heat from the LED board can be reliably radiated to the outside by this non-contact surface portion, preventing heat from becoming trapped within the space. At the same time, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the ball entry unit that is inserted into the opening of the gaming panel and the inner periphery of the opening. In other words, because there is a gap between the non-contact surface portion and the inner periphery of the opening, heat from the LED board can be reliably radiated from the non-contact surface portion to this gap, and can be exhausted from within the opening through this gap.

Means 4: In the configuration of means 2 or means 3,
"The LED substrate is provided so as not to overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view."
It is characterized by being something.

In the configuration of means 4, the LED substrate is provided so that it does not overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view (see the description of the LED substrate 2825 and non-contact surface portion 2831 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, even if foreign matter such as dust or dirt enters the space where the LED board is installed through the non-contact surface, it is less likely to get on the LED board, minimizing the impact of the foreign matter.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The gaming panel is opaque."
It is characterized by:

However, if the gaming panel is made transparent, the light from the LED board will enter the gaming panel from the inner surface of the opening and be diffused inside the panel, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the visual effect of the LED light.

Means 5 is configured to make the gaming panel opaque (see the description of gaming panel 1100 in the "Description of Embodiments").

As a result, because the gaming panel is opaque, light from the LEDs on the LED board does not enter the interior of the gaming panel through the inner periphery of the opening, but can be reflected by the inner periphery of the opening, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the LED light emission.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 2 to means 5,
The non-contact surface portion is provided rearward of the rear surface of the gaming panel.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 6, the non-contact surface portion is located behind the rear surface of the gaming panel (see the description of side unit 2800B in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

This allows heat from the LED board located in the space between the first and second components to be reliably dissipated behind the rear surface of the gaming panel through the non-contact surface, thereby avoiding the effects of heat.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 6,
"The first component has a flat base plate from which the positioning projection protrudes and through which the mounting hole penetrates, and which can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 7, the first component has a flat base plate with a positioning projection protruding therefrom and a mounting hole passing therethrough, which can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel (see the description of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, the ball entry unit is equipped with a flat base plate, and by attaching the ball entry unit to the front of the gaming panel via the mounting holes, the base plate can block the opening in the gaming panel from the front. This makes it possible to hide the rear of the gaming panel from the front (player side) through the opening with the base plate, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

In addition, because the opening of the gaming panel can be blocked from the front by the base plate of the ball entry unit, heat from the LED board located in the space between the first and second components can be dissipated to the rear side of the gaming panel through the non-contact surface portion, and foreign matter such as dust and dirt can be prevented from entering the front side of the gaming panel from the rear side through the opening.

Means 8: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, the first component being attached to the gaming panel so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the gaming panel from the front side;
a second component having a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component, the second component being mounted from the rear side of the first component so as to form a predetermined space within the opening together with the first component;
and a gap is formed between the opening of the game panel and the inner periphery of the opening,
a non-contact surface portion that is not in contact with the first component portion and the second component portion at least in an upper portion of a contact surface portion where the first component portion and the second component portion are in contact with each other;
An LED substrate on which an LED is mounted is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component so as not to overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 8, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and is attached to the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow, the ball entry unit comprises: a first component that has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to block the opening that penetrates the gaming panel from the front; and a second component that has a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component and is attached from the rear side of the first component so as to form a predetermined space within the opening together with the first component; the ball entry unit is formed so as to provide a gap between the inner periphery of the opening of the gaming panel; a non-contact surface portion that is not in contact with the first component and the second component is provided at least at the upper side of the contact surface portion where the first component and the second component are in contact with each other; and an LED board with LEDs mounted on it is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component so as not to overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view.

This allows the ball-scoring unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component with a mounting screw through the second mounting hole, inserting the positioning protrusion protruding from the flat base plate of the first component into the positioning hole of the gaming panel from the front, and then screwing and tightening the mounting screw into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole so that the base plate abuts against the front of the gaming panel. The base plate of the first component also blocks the opening that penetrates the gaming panel, making it difficult to see behind the gaming panel through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the gaming panel through the opening from the rear side of the gaming panel. The first component and the second component, which is attached to the rear of the first component with a mounting screw through the second mounting hole, form a space within the opening of the gaming panel, and an LED board is provided within this space, allowing the ball-scoring unit to be illuminated and decorated with LEDs on the LED board. In this case, because a space for the LED board is formed within the opening of the gaming panel, the space and the LED board can be contained within the thickness of the gaming panel, minimizing the amount of rearward protrusion from the rear surface of the gaming panel and ensuring more space behind the ball-scoring unit. This makes it possible to install large presentation devices or presentation devices with a wide range of movement behind the ball-scoring unit, allowing for more impactful presentations to be presented to players, resulting in a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, an LED board is provided in the space between the first and second components, and a non-contact surface portion is provided at least above the contact surface portion where the first and second components are in contact. This allows heat from the LED board to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion, thereby avoiding the effects of heat. In this case, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the ball entry unit inserted into the opening of the gaming panel and the inner periphery of the opening. In other words, a gap is provided between the non-contact surface portion and the inner periphery of the opening, ensuring that heat from the LED board can be dissipated from the non-contact surface portion to the gap. Furthermore, because the front end of the opening of the gaming panel is blocked by the base plate of the first component, heat released from the non-contact surface portion to the gap can be guided to the rear side of the gaming panel without flowing through the gap to the front side of the gaming panel, ensuring heat dissipation from the LED board.

In addition, because the LED board is positioned so that it does not overlap the non-contact surface in a plan view, even if foreign matter such as dust or dirt enters the space where the LED board is located through the non-contact surface, it is less likely to get on the LED board, minimizing the effects of foreign matter.

Furthermore, because the gaming panel is opaque, light from the LEDs on the LED board does not enter the interior of the gaming panel through the inner periphery of the opening, and can be reflected by the inner periphery of the opening, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the LED light emission.

In addition, because the base plate of the ball entry unit blocks the opening of the gaming panel from the front, heat from the LED board located in the space between the first and second components can be dissipated to the rear of the gaming panel through the non-contact surface, and foreign matter such as dust and dirt can be prevented from entering the front of the gaming panel from the rear through the opening.

In addition, it is desirable to provide a first mounting hole, which penetrates the base plate for mounting to the gaming panel, in the first component of the ball entry unit, near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole and tightened, thereby firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole in the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In this way, the above solution makes it easier to secure space behind the ball-entering unit, thereby providing a gaming machine that can present more impactful effects.

[15-9c. Relationship between the solution of the ninth technical feature and embodiments]
The panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solving means, the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solving means, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above-mentioned solving means, the general winning port 2001 in this embodiment and the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811 correspond to the ball entry port of the above-mentioned solving means, and the side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, and side unit 2800F in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry units of the above-mentioned solving means, respectively.

In addition, the unit main body 2810 and the unit main body 2810A in this embodiment correspond to the first component of the solution, the base plate 2811a in this embodiment corresponds to the base plate of the solution, the positioning protrusion 2811c in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning protrusion of the solution, the mounting hole 2811d in this embodiment corresponds to the mounting hole of the solution, the unit cover 2820 in this embodiment corresponds to the second component of the solution, and the LED board 2825 in this embodiment corresponds to the LED board of the solution. In addition, the contact surface portion 2830 in this embodiment (the portion where the support frame portion 2814 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact) corresponds to the contact surface portion of the solution, and the non-contact surface portion 2831 in this embodiment (the notch 2814b of the support frame portion 2814 and the notch 2820c of the unit cover 2820) corresponds to the non-contact surface portion of the solution.

[15-9d. Characteristic effects of the ninth technical feature]
Here, the side unit 2800B will be described as a representative of the features of the side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, and side unit 2800F in this embodiment. According to this embodiment, in the side unit 2800B attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the unit cover 2820 is attached from the rear side of the unit main body 2810 with a mounting screw through a mounting hole, and then the positioning protrusion 2811c protruding from the flat base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 of the unit main body 2810 is inserted from the front into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and then the mounting screw is inserted into the panel through the mounting hole 2811d so that the base plate 2811a abuts against the front surface of the panel board 1110. By screwing and tightening the side unit 2800B into the panel plate 1110, the side unit 2800B can be attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and the base plate 2811a can block the opening 1112 penetrating the panel plate 1110, making it difficult to see behind the gaming panel 1100 through the opening 1112, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front surface of the panel plate 1110 (the gaming area 5a) through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 in the gaming panel 1100. The unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 attached from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 with mounting screws via mounting holes form a space within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and an LED board 2825 is provided in the space, so that the side unit 2800B can be illuminated and decorated by the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825. In this case, since a space in which the LED board 2825 is provided is formed within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100, the space and the LED board 2825 can be contained within the thickness of the panel board 1110, the amount of rearward protrusion from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 can be minimized as much as possible, and a larger space can be secured behind the side unit 2800B. Therefore, it is possible to provide a large effect device or an effect device with a wide movable area behind the side unit 2800B, so that more impactful effects can be presented to the player, and a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players can be provided.

In addition, the LED board 2825 is provided in the space between the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 in the side unit 2800B, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch 2820c) is provided at least in the upper portion of the contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831, thereby avoiding the effects of heat. In this case, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the side unit 2800B inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. In other words, the gap between the non-contact surface portion 2831 and the inner periphery of the opening 1112 ensures that heat from the LED board 2825 is dissipated from the non-contact surface portion 2831 to the gap. Furthermore, because the front end side of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100 is blocked by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 in the unit body 2810, heat released into the gap from the non-contact surface portion 2831 can be guided to the rear side of the panel board 1110 without flowing through the gap to the front side of the panel board 1110, ensuring that heat from the LED board 2825 can be dissipated reliably.

In addition, since the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the non-contact surface portion 2831 in a plan view, even if foreign matter such as dust or dirt enters the space in which the LED board 2825 is arranged through the non-contact surface portion 2831, it is difficult for the foreign matter to get on the LED board 2825, thereby minimizing the effects of the foreign matter.

Furthermore, by making the gaming panel 1100 opaque, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 through the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112. This prevents a decrease in the amount of light emitted forward, making it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effect of the light emitted by the LED 2825a.

In addition, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 in the side unit 2800B blocks the opening 1112 in the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, so heat from the LED board 2825 located in the space between the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 can be dissipated to the rear side of the panel board 1110 through the non-contact surface portion 2831, and foreign matter such as dust and dirt can be prevented from entering the front side of the panel board 1110 from the rear side through the opening 1112 in the panel board 1110.

In addition, in the side unit 2800B, the first component 2811 of the unit main body 2810 has a mounting hole 2811d that penetrates the base plate 2811a for mounting to the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, located near the positioning protrusion 2811c.By screwing a mounting screw into the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning protrusion 2811c can be firmly pressed against the panel plate 1110, ensuring that it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110, preventing the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

[15-10. Tenth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-10a. Background of the 10th technical feature]
In recent years, in gaming machines such as pachinko machines, in order to create effects that can attract the attention of players, the effect devices have been made larger, the range of movement of the effect devices has been widened, and the effect devices have been made more flashy with illumination decorations.

Conventional gaming machines of this type, such as those disclosed in Patent Document A10 (JP 2017-018185 A), are known to include a ball entry unit with multiple ball entry ports (e.g., general entry ports) on the front of a gaming panel along which gaming balls flow, and a ball guidance unit at the rear of the gaming panel that detects gaming balls that enter the ball entry port of the ball entry unit and ejects them downward.

However, with the technology of Patent Document A10, a ball guide unit is provided behind the gaming panel, and the presence of this ball guide unit reduces the space behind the ball entry unit, making it impossible to secure more space for installing the performance device.

The following measures take into consideration the above situation and aim to provide a gaming machine that can present more impactful effects by making it easier to secure space behind the ball-entering unit.

[15-10b. Solution of the 10th technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit that has a plurality of ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and is attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game board and an attachment hole for attachment to the game board, the first component being attached to the game board so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the game board from the front side;
a second component provided behind the first component and having a ball passage through which a game ball entering the ball entrance can flow down along the surface of the game board within the opening so that the game ball falls within the thickness of the game board;
The present invention is characterized by comprising:

Here, "ball entry port" refers to "a prize entry port that confers a specified bonus when a gaming ball enters (for example, a general prize entry port, regular prize entry port, start prize entry port (start prize entry port), big prize entry port, special prize entry port, V prize entry port, etc.)" and "an outlet port that ejects a gaming ball from the gaming machine without awarding a bonus even if the gaming ball enters, and without returning it to the player," etc.

Furthermore, "game boards" are boards in which obstacle nails are planted in a specified gauge arrangement, and examples include "boards made of wooden plywood such as plywood," "boards made of panel boards machined from transparent resin boards," and "boards made by injection molding transparent resin."

Furthermore, the "ball passage" may extend entirely within the thickness of the game board, or only partially within the thickness of the game board.

According to the configuration of the first aspect, in an amusement machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and is attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow, the ball entry unit comprises: a first component that has positioning protrusions that are inserted into positioning holes on the game board and mounting holes for mounting to the game board, and is attached to the game board so as to block the opening that penetrates the game board from the front; and a second component that is attached to the rear of the first component and has a ball passage that allows game balls that enter the ball entry ports to flow down along the surface of the game board within the opening so that they are within the thickness of the game board (see the description of Figures 164 to 169, etc., in Chapter 12-1. Side Unit of the Second Embodiment in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the first component (ball entry unit) to be attached to the front of the gaming board by inserting the positioning protrusion of the first component into the positioning hole of the gaming panel from the front and then screwing and tightening a mounting screw into the gaming board through the mounting hole. The first component also blocks the opening that penetrates the gaming board, making it difficult to see behind the gaming board through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front side of the gaming board through the opening. The second component, located behind the first component, has a ball passage that extends along the surface of the gaming board within the opening so as to extend within the thickness of the gaming board. This ball passage allows gaming balls that enter the ball entry opening to flow down within the thickness of the gaming board. By utilizing the thickness of the gaming board, the amount of rearward protrusion of the ball entry unit from the rear surface of the gaming board can be minimized, thereby ensuring more space behind the ball entry unit. This makes it possible to install large presentation devices or presentation devices with a wide range of movement (movable props) behind the ball-entering unit, allowing for more impactful presentations to be presented to players, providing a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

It is desirable to provide a mounting hole for attaching the first component of the ball entry unit to the game board near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the game board through the mounting hole and tightened, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the game board and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole on the game board, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In addition, at least the forward portion of the movable device in the ball passage may be arranged to extend within the thickness of the gaming board. This allows the forward portion of the movable device, which serves as a performance device in the ball passage, to extend within the thickness of the gaming board, ensuring sufficient space in the front-to-back direction of the portion where the movable device is located, and also allows for a wider range of movement for the movable device, providing a gaming machine that can present more impactful performances to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the portion of the ball passage in front of the movable device is positioned within the thickness of the gaming board, it is possible to ensure sufficient space in the front-to-rear direction of the portion of the rear side of the gaming board where the movable device is located. Therefore, for example, a decorative element can be placed between the ball entry unit and the movable device, and this decorative element can be used to hide the movable device in its lowered position so that it is difficult for the player to see. This allows the player to see an effect in which the movable device appears when it is raised from its lowered position, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that makes a strong impact and is enjoyable for players.

Furthermore, a ball sensor that detects game balls flowing down the ball passage may be installed below the movable device located at the rear of the ball passage. In this way, the ball sensor that detects game balls that enter the ball entrance is installed below the movable device located at the rear, so the ball sensor does not interfere with the movable device, allowing the desired presentation effect of the movable device to be fully realized.

The ball passage may also have a branch section that is connected to the ball entrance and extends rearward, and a main section that merges with the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board. This allows the branch sections that are connected to each ball entrance to merge with the main section and flow downward, eliminating the need to provide separate ball passages for multiple ball entrances. Balls can be discharged together through a single ball passage, and it is also easier to secure space behind the ball entrance unit.

The second component may also be attached to the rear of the first component. This allows the second component to be attached to the rear of the first component, thereby increasing the rigidity of the first component. Specifically, for example, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, if the first component has low rigidity, it may bend when the first component is pulled forward to remove it from the gaming board. This bending may tilt the positioning protrusions inserted into the positioning holes in the gaming board, making them difficult to remove from the positioning holes and making the disassembly process more difficult. In contrast, if the second component is attached to the rear of the first component, the second component has a ball passageway, which has a U-shaped cross section. Therefore, the rigidity of the second component is increased by the presence of the ball passageway. Therefore, attaching this second component can increase the rigidity of the first component (ball entry unit). Therefore, when disassembling the gaming machine for recycling, etc., the increased rigidity of the ball-entering unit prevents the first component from which the positioning protrusion protrudes from bending when the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, preventing the positioning protrusion from tilting relative to the positioning hole in the gaming board. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming board, providing a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, the second component may be attached to a back member provided at the rear of the game board. This allows the second component of the ball entry unit to be attached to the back member at the rear of the game board, making it possible to extend the ball passage below the opening penetrating the game board at the rear of the game board. More specifically, if the second component is attached to the first component, the first component blocks the opening of the game board from the front, so the second component in which the ball passage is provided must be smaller than the opening, making it difficult to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. In contrast, if the second component is attached to a back member provided at the rear of the game board, it is possible to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. Therefore, since the ball passage can be extended to the bottom of the game board, the height at which game balls discharged downward can be reduced, thereby reducing the impact of the discharged game balls. Additionally, because part of the ball passage can be made to extend downward beyond the opening on the rear side of the game board, there is no need to extend the opening that penetrates the game board all the way down to the bottom edge of the game board, and the strength of the game board is not reduced.

Furthermore, as described above, by attaching the second component of the ball entry unit to the rear member behind the game board, if a ball sensor is installed in the ball passage, electronic components such as the ball sensor will be installed on the rear member side behind the game board, allowing the electronic components to be concentrated on the rear member side, eliminating the need to install electronic components such as the ball sensor on the game board side. Therefore, when assembling or disassembling the game machine, since the wiring of the electronic components does not extend from the game board side, the wiring will not get caught on components such as obstacle nails, interfering with the work or causing the wiring to be cut.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The second component is provided so that at least the portion in front of the movable device in the ball passage is within the thickness of the game board."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 2, the second component is arranged so that at least the portion of the ball passage that is in front of the movable device is within the thickness of the gaming board (see the description of the ball passage 2812a of the second component 2812 in the "Description of the Invention").

This allows the front portion of the movable device, which acts as a presentation device in the ball passage, to be within the thickness of the gaming board, ensuring sufficient space in the front-to-rear direction of the area where the movable device is located, and also allows for a wider range of movement for the movable device, providing a gaming machine that can present more impactful presentations to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, it is possible to ensure sufficient space in the front-to-back direction at the rear of the game board where the movable device is located. For example, a decorative element can be placed between the ball-entering unit and the movable device, and this decorative element can be used to hide the movable device in its lowered position so that it is difficult for the player to see. This allows the player to see an effect in which the movable device appears when it is raised from its lowered position, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that leaves a strong impact on players and provides them with enjoyment.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The second component is provided with a ball sensor that detects game balls flowing down the ball passage, at a position below the movable device provided at the rear of the ball passage."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 3, the second component is a ball sensor that detects game balls flowing down the ball passage, located below the movable device located at the rear of the ball passage (see the description of ball sensor 2813b in the [Embodiment for carrying out the invention]).

As a result, the ball sensor that detects game balls entering the ball entrance is located below the movable device located at the rear, so the ball sensor does not interfere with the movable device, allowing the desired presentation effect to be fully achieved by the movable device.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The ball passage has a branch portion that is in communication with the ball entrance and extends rearward, and a main portion that joins the branch portion and extends downward along the surface of the game board."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 4, the ball passage has a branch section that is connected to the ball entrance and extends rearward, and a main section that merges with the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board (see the description of the branch section 2801 and main section 2802 in the ball passage 2812a in the "Description of the Invention").

This allows each branch section connected to each ball inlet to merge with the main section and flow down, eliminating the need to provide a separate ball passage for each of the multiple ball inlets. Instead, the balls can be discharged together through a single ball passage, and it also makes it easier to secure space behind the ball inlet unit.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 5, the second component is attached to the rear side of the first component (see the description of the second component 2812 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, the second component is attached to the rear of the first component, allowing the second component to increase the rigidity of the first component. More specifically, for example, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, if the first component's rigidity is low, it may bend when pulling the first component forward to remove it from the gaming board. This bending may tilt the positioning protrusions inserted into the positioning holes in the gaming board, making them difficult to remove from the positioning holes and making the disassembly process more time-consuming. In contrast, in this method, the second component is provided with a ball passage, and the cross section of this ball passage is U-shaped. Therefore, the rigidity of the second component is increased by the presence of the ball passage, and attaching this second component allows the rigidity of the first component (ball entry unit) to be increased. Therefore, when disassembling the gaming machine for recycling, etc., the increased rigidity of the ball-entering unit prevents the first component from which the positioning protrusion protrudes from bending when the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, preventing the positioning protrusion from tilting relative to the positioning hole in the gaming board. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming board, providing a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 4,
"The second component is attached to a back member provided at the rear of the play board."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "back component" include "back decorative body," "back unit," "back box," etc.

According to the configuration of means 6, the second component is attached to a rear member provided at the rear of the play board (see the description of the second component 2813 of the side unit 2800A in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, because the second component of the ball entry unit is attached to the rear member at the rear of the game board, it is possible to extend the ball passage below the opening that penetrates the game board at the rear of the game board. More specifically, if the second component were attached to the first component, the first component would block the opening in the game board from the front, so the second component in which the ball passage is provided would need to be smaller than the opening, making it difficult to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. In contrast, with this method, because the second component is attached to the rear member at the rear of the game board, it is possible to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. Therefore, because it is possible to extend the ball passage to the bottom of the game board, the falling height of game balls ejected downward can be reduced, and the impact of the ejected game balls can be reduced. Additionally, because part of the ball passage can be made to extend downward beyond the opening on the rear side of the game board, there is no need to extend the opening that penetrates the game board all the way down to the bottom edge of the game board, and the strength of the game board is not reduced.

In addition, because the second component of the ball entry unit is attached to the rear member behind the game board, if a ball sensor is installed in the ball passage, electronic components such as the ball sensor are installed on the rear member side behind the game board, allowing the electronic components to be concentrated on the rear member side, eliminating the need to install electronic components such as the ball sensor on the game board side. Therefore, when assembling or disassembling the game machine, the wiring of the electronic components does not extend from the game board side, so the wiring will not get caught on components such as obstacle nails, interfering with the work or causing the wiring to be cut.

Means 7: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit that has a plurality of ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and is attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game board and an attachment hole for attachment to the game board, the first component being attached to the game board so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the game board from the front side;
A second component is provided behind the first component, and has a ball passage through which the game balls entering the ball entrance can flow down along the surface of the game board within the opening so that the balls are within the thickness of the game board;
Equipped with
The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component or to a back member provided behind the game board, and a ball sensor is provided below the movable device to detect game balls flowing down the ball passage.
The ball passage has a branch section that is connected to the ball entrance and extends rearward, and a main section that joins the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board, and is arranged so that at least the portion in front of the movable device is within the thickness of the game board.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 7, in a gaming machine having a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and is attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow, the ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided on the game board and an attachment hole for attachment to the game board, and is attached to the game board so as to block the opening that penetrates the game board from the front side, and is provided on the rear side of the first component, and game balls that enter the ball entry port are moved along the surface of the game board within the opening so as to fall within the thickness of the game board. and a second component having a ball passageway through which balls can flow down. The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component or to a back member provided at the rear of the game board, and is provided with a ball sensor below the movable device that detects game balls flowing down the ball passageway. The ball passageway has a branch section that is connected to the ball entrance and extends rearward, and a main section that merges with the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board, and is arranged so that at least the section in front of the movable device is within the thickness of the game board.

This allows the first component (ball entry unit) to be attached to the front of the gaming board by inserting the positioning protrusion of the first component into the positioning hole of the gaming panel from the front and then screwing and tightening a mounting screw into the gaming board through the mounting hole. The first component also blocks the opening that penetrates the gaming board, making it difficult to see behind the gaming board through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front side of the gaming board through the opening. The second component, located behind the first component, has a ball passage that extends along the surface of the gaming board within the opening so as to extend within the thickness of the gaming board. This ball passage allows gaming balls that enter the ball entry opening to flow down within the thickness of the gaming board. By utilizing the thickness of the gaming board, the amount of rearward protrusion of the ball entry unit from the rear surface of the gaming board can be minimized, thereby ensuring more space behind the ball entry unit. This makes it possible to install large presentation devices or presentation devices with a wide range of movement (movable props) behind the ball-entering unit, allowing for more impactful presentations to be presented to players, providing a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, the front portion of the movable device, which acts as a presentation device in the ball passage, is designed to be within the thickness of the gaming board, ensuring sufficient space in the front-to-rear direction of the area where the movable device is located, and also allowing for a wider range of movement for the movable device, providing a gaming machine that can present more impactful presentations to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, it is possible to ensure sufficient space in the front-to-back direction at the rear of the game board where the movable device is located. For example, a decorative element can be placed between the ball-entering unit and the movable device, and this decorative element can be used to hide the movable device in its lowered position so that it is difficult for the player to see. This allows the player to see an effect in which the movable device appears when it is raised from its lowered position, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that leaves a strong impact on players and provides them with enjoyment.

Furthermore, the ball sensor that detects game balls entering the ball entrance is located below the movable device located at the rear, so the ball sensor does not interfere with the movable device, allowing the desired presentation effect to be fully realized.

In addition, the tributaries connected to each ball inlet are designed to merge into the main flow and flow down, eliminating the need to provide separate ball passages for each of the multiple ball inlets. They can be discharged together through a single ball passage, and it is also easier to secure space behind the ball inlet unit.

Furthermore, by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component, the rigidity of the first component can be increased by the second component. More specifically, for example, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, etc., if the rigidity of the first component is low, the first component may bend when pulling the first component forward to remove it from the gaming board. This bending may tilt the positioning protrusions inserted into the positioning holes in the gaming board, making them difficult to remove from the positioning holes and making the disassembly process more time-consuming. In contrast, by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component, the second component is provided with a ball passage whose cross section is U-shaped, and the rigidity of the second component is increased by the presence of the ball passage. Therefore, attaching this second component can increase the rigidity of the first component (ball entry unit). Therefore, when disassembling the gaming machine for recycling, etc., the increased rigidity of the ball-entering unit prevents the first component from which the positioning protrusion protrudes from bending when the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, preventing the positioning protrusion from tilting relative to the positioning hole in the gaming board. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming board, providing a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, if the second component of the ball entry unit is attached to the back member at the rear of the game board, it becomes possible to extend the ball passage below the opening that penetrates the game board at the rear of the game board. More specifically, if the second component is attached to the first component, the first component blocks the opening of the game board from the front, so the second component in which the ball passage is provided must be smaller than the opening, making it difficult to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. In contrast, if the second component is attached to the back member at the rear of the game board, it becomes possible to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. Therefore, since it becomes possible to extend the ball passage to the bottom of the game board, the height at which game balls discharged downward can be reduced, and the impact of the discharged game balls can be reduced. Additionally, because part of the ball passage can be made to extend downward beyond the opening on the rear side of the game board, there is no need to extend the opening that penetrates the game board all the way down to the bottom edge of the game board, and the strength of the game board is not reduced.

Furthermore, by attaching the second component of the ball entry unit to the rear member behind the game board, electronic components such as the ball sensor installed in the ball passage are installed on the rear member side behind the game board, allowing the electronic components to be concentrated on the rear member side, eliminating the need to install electronic components such as the ball sensor on the game board side. Therefore, when assembling or disassembling the game machine, since the wiring of the electronic components does not extend from the game board side, the wiring will not get caught on components such as obstacle nails, interfering with the work or causing the wiring to be cut.

It is desirable to provide a mounting hole for attaching the first component of the ball entry unit to the game board near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the game board through the mounting hole and tightened, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the game board and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole on the game board, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In this way, the above solution makes it easier to secure space behind the ball-entering unit, thereby providing a gaming machine that can present more impactful effects.

[15-10c. Relationship between the solution of the 10th technical feature and embodiments]
The panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solving means, the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solving means, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above-mentioned solving means, the general winning port 2001 in this embodiment and the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811 correspond to the ball entry port of the above-mentioned solving means, and the side unit 2800, side unit 2800A, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, and side unit 2800G in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry units of the above-mentioned solving means, respectively.

In addition, in this embodiment, the first component 2811 of the unit main body 2810 corresponds to the first component part of the resolving means, the positioning protrusion 2811c in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning protrusion of the resolving means, the mounting hole 2811d in this embodiment corresponds to the mounting hole of the resolving means, the second component 2812 and second component 2813 in this embodiment correspond to the second component part of the resolving means, the ball passage 2812a and ball passage 2813a in this embodiment correspond to the ball passage of the resolving means, the ball sensor 2813b and ball sensor 2815 in this embodiment correspond to the ball sensor of the resolving means, the back unit 3000 (back box 3010) in this embodiment corresponds to the back member of the resolving means, and the back-under performance unit 3500 in this embodiment corresponds to the movable prop of the resolving means.

[15-10d. Characteristic effects of the 10th technical feature]
Here, the side unit 2800 will be described as a representative of the features of the side unit 2800, the side unit 2800A, the side unit 2800B, the side unit 2800C, and the side unit 2800G in this embodiment. According to this embodiment, in the game board 5, the positioning protrusion 2811c of the first component 2811 in the side unit 2800 is inserted from the front into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100, and then a mounting screw is screwed into the panel plate 1110 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightened, thereby attaching the first component 2811 (side unit 2800) to the front of the panel plate 1110, and the first component 2811 can block the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110, making it difficult to see behind the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front side of the panel plate 1110 (game area 5a) through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the second component 2812 provided behind the first component 2811 is provided with a ball passage 2812a extending along the surface of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 so as to be within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. This allows the game ball B that enters the ball receiving section 2811b (general winning opening 2001) to flow down so as to be within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. By utilizing the thickness of the panel plate 1110, the amount of rearward protrusion of the side unit 2800 from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 can be minimized, thereby ensuring more space behind the side unit 2800. Therefore, it is possible to provide a large presentation device such as the underside presentation unit 3500 or a presentation device with a wide movable area behind the side unit 2800, which allows for more impactful presentations to be presented to players, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, the portion of the ball passage 2812a in front of the lower back performance unit 3500 is designed to fit within the thickness of the panel board 1110, ensuring sufficient space in the front-to-rear direction of the portion where the lower back performance unit 3500 is installed, and also allowing for a wider range of movement for the lower back performance unit 3500, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can present more impactful performances to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, it is possible to ensure sufficient space in the front-to-back direction at the rear of the panel board 1110 where the underside display unit 3500 is installed. Therefore, for example, a decorative body can be placed between the side unit 2800 and the underside display unit 3500, and this decorative body can be used to hide the underside movable decorative body 3510 in the lowered position so that it is difficult for the player to see. In this way, when the underside movable decorative body 3510 is raised from the lowered position, the player can be shown an effect in which the underside movable decorative body 3510 appears, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can make a strong impact and entertain the player.

In addition, in the side unit 2800, the branch sections 2801 that are connected to each ball receiving section 2811b are merged into the main flow section 2802 and flow down, so there is no need to provide a ball passage 2812a for each of the multiple ball receiving sections 2811b. They can be discharged together through a single ball passage 2812a, and it is also easier to secure space behind the side unit 2800.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800A, the ball sensor 2813b that detects the game ball B that has entered the ball receiving section 2811b (general winning opening 2001) is located below the rear-bottom performance unit 3500, so the ball sensor 2813b does not interfere with the rear-bottom performance unit 3500, allowing the desired performance effect by the rear-bottom performance unit 3500 to be fully realized.

Furthermore, by attaching the second component 2812 to the rear of the first component 2811, as in the side unit 2800, the rigidity of the first component 2811 can be increased by the second component 2812. More specifically, for example, when disassembling a pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, if the rigidity of the first component 2811 is low, the first component 2811 will bend when the first component 2811 is pulled forward to remove it from the panel plate 1110. This bending will tilt the positioning protrusion 2811c inserted into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110, making it difficult to remove from the positioning hole 1113, which may make the disassembly process more difficult. In contrast, if the second component 2812 is attached to the rear of the first component 2811, the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a, which has a U-shaped cross section. The rigidity of the second component 2812 is therefore increased by the presence of the ball passage 2812a, and attaching this second component 2812 can increase the rigidity of the first component 2811 (side unit 2800). Therefore, during disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800 prevents the first component 2811, from which the positioning protrusion 2811c protrudes, from bending. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from tilting relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2800 to be easily removed from the panel plate 1110. This makes it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to a rear component such as the rear unit 3000 behind the panel plate 1110, making it possible to extend the ball passage 2813a downward beyond the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110 on the rear side of the panel plate 1110. More specifically, if the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811, the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 from the front, so the second component 2812 in which the ball passage 2812a is provided must be smaller than the opening 1112, making it difficult to extend part of the ball passage 2812a downward beyond the opening 1112 on the rear side of the panel plate 1110. In contrast, in the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to a rear component such as the rear unit 3000 provided behind the panel plate 1110, so a portion of the ball passage 2813a can be made to extend downward beyond the opening 1112 on the rear side of the panel plate 1110. Therefore, since the ball passage 2813a can be extended to the bottom end of the panel plate 1110, the height at which the game ball B ejected downward can be reduced, thereby reducing the impact of the ejected game ball B. Furthermore, since a portion of the ball passage 2813a can be made to extend downward beyond the opening 1112 on the rear side of the panel plate 1110, there is no need to extend the opening 1112, which penetrates the panel plate 1110, downward to the bottom end of the panel plate 1110, and the strength of the panel plate 1110 is not reduced.

In addition, in the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to a rear component such as the rear unit 3000 behind the panel board 1110, so electronic components such as the ball sensor 2813b provided in the ball passage 2813a are provided on the rear component side behind the panel board 1110, allowing the electronic components to be grouped together on the rear component side, eliminating the need to provide electronic components such as the ball sensor 2813b on the panel board 1110 side. Therefore, during assembly and disassembly of the pachinko machine 1, the wiring of the electronic components does not extend from the panel board 1110 side, so the wiring will not get caught on components such as obstructing nails, interfering with work or causing the wiring to be cut.

In addition, in the side unit 2800, the mounting hole 2811d for mounting the first component 2811 to the panel plate 1110 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c. Therefore, by screwing a mounting screw into the panel plate 1110 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning protrusion 2811c is pressed firmly against the panel plate 1110, ensuring that it is inserted securely into the positioning hole 1113 on the panel plate 1110. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

[15-11. Eleventh Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-11a. Background of the 11th technical feature]
There is known a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that has a center role device that is attached from the front to an opening in a gaming panel that forms a gaming area into which gaming balls can flow, and that has a decorative body with a predetermined decoration (for example, Patent Document A11: JP 2017-074434 A). In the technology of Patent Document A11, the decorative body attached to the center role device is intended to improve the appearance of the gaming machine.

However, with the technology of Patent Document A11, flat decorative elements are placed near the front end of the central role-playing device, so even if the decorative elements are decorated with reliefs, they lack a sense of depth, and some players may quickly tire of looking at them, potentially reducing their interest.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can prevent players from losing interest by providing decorative elements with a more decorative effect.

[15-11b. Solution of the eleventh technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel in which a gaming area in which gaming balls can flow down is formed,
The game board is
A frame-shaped center frame attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel;
a decorative body attached to the center frame and having a predetermined decoration;
Equipped with
The decorative body is
The center frame has a rear decorative portion extending within the frame and a portion of which protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion provided forward of the rear decorative portion,
The rear decorative portion and the front decorative portion are decorated in a manner that coordinates with each other.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "game panel" include "opaque panels such as plywood," "panels made of transparent resin," and "those composed of a panel made of transparent resin and a frame-shaped panel holder that holds the outer edge of the panel."

Examples of "center frames" include "those having a flat flange portion that can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel, and an inflow restriction portion that extends forward from the flange portion and restricts gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening of the gaming panel," and "those having an insertion portion that is inserted into the opening of the gaming panel and is arranged to fit along the inner surface of the opening, a flat flange portion that extends from the front end of the insertion portion in a direction along the surface of the gaming panel and can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel, and an inflow restriction portion that extends forward of the flange portion and restricts gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening of the gaming panel."

Furthermore, examples of "decorative objects" include "objects decorated with patterns created by printing or painting, etc.," "objects decorated with three-dimensionally shaped decorations," and "objects decorated with decorations that have a metallic luster, such as plating."

Further examples of "decorative objects" include "those that are illuminated by the light emitted by LEDs mounted on an LED board," "those that have opaque sections that make it difficult to see from the front the wiring of the electronic components (e.g., LED board, relay board, spherical sensor, magnetic sensor, display (display with special design), solenoid, etc.) located at the rear," and "those that have electronic components (e.g., LED board, relay board, spherical sensor, magnetic sensor, display (display with special design), solenoid, etc.) that protrude rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame."

Furthermore, examples of "decorations that coordinate with each other" include "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative part and the decoration of the back decorative part form a single decoration (pattern)," "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative part and the decoration of the back decorative part form a pattern (figure) that continues from each other," and "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative part or the decoration of the back decorative part complement (emphasize) the decoration of the front decorative part or the decoration of the back decorative part."

In accordance with the configuration of Method 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel that forms a gaming area through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming board comprises a frame-shaped center frame that is attached from the front to an opening formed in the gaming panel, and a decorative body attached to the center frame and decorated with a predetermined ornament. The decorative body has a rear decorative portion that extends within the center frame and partially protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion that is located forward of the rear decorative portion, and the rear decorative portion and the front decorative portion are decorated in a coordinated manner. (See Chapter 11-2. Second Embodiment of Center Device in the [Embodiment of the Invention] and the description in Figure 159, etc., in [Embodiment of the Invention].)

As a result, the center frame attached to the gaming panel of the gaming board is provided with a decorative body consisting of a rear decorative portion that partially protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion that is located forward of the rear decorative portion, allowing the player to see a decoration with depth created by the front and rear decorative portions of the decorative body. In this case, because the rear and front decorative portions are decorated in a coordinated manner, a large decoration can be seen by the player, and the rear and front decorative portions can form a decorative body that is large, deep, and highly decorative. Therefore, because a decorative body with a highly decorative effect can be provided on the center frame, the decorative body can strongly attract the player's attention, making it difficult for them to become bored, and a gaming machine can be provided that can prevent a decline in player interest.

In addition, because the rear decorative part that makes up the decorative body extends within the center frame, the rear decorative part does not narrow the playing area in front of the gaming panel or make it difficult to see the gaming balls flowing down the playing area, allowing players to enjoy playing with the gaming balls in the playing area in good condition.

Furthermore, since the rear decorative portion that makes up the decorative body extends within the framework of the center frame, if a performance display device, movable decorative body, decorative body, etc. is provided behind the gaming panel, the rear decorative portion can be used to decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or work in conjunction with the decorative body (movable decorative body) to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, providing a highly appealing gaming machine that can strongly attract the attention of players.

It is desirable to arrange the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion so that they at least partially overlap when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion and the decoration of the rear decorative portion when viewed from the front (front), allowing the player to see the large decoration made up of the front decorative portion in a better condition and further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

It is also desirable to form the center frame transparent. This makes it difficult for players to see the center frame and makes it less noticeable, allowing the decorative body (front decorative portion and rear decorative portion) to stand out in comparison, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, the decorative body may have an opaque section that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front. This makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front using the opaque section of the decorative body, and the opaque section can hide the wiring, preventing the wiring from being visible and detracting from the appearance, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body.

The decorative body may also be placed in front of the LED board on which the LEDs are mounted. By placing the decorative body in front of the LED board, the LED board can be hidden by the decorative body (decoration), preventing the LED board from being visible and making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body.

The center frame may also be fitted with a display that can display the results of a lottery for a special symbol drawn when a gaming ball hits the play area. By doing so, the display for displaying the special symbol is attached to the center frame, so the display can be attached to the play panel together with the center frame, reducing the effort required for assembling the gaming machine compared to when a display is attached separately.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion are arranged so as to overlap at least partially in a front view."
It is characterized by being something.

In accordance with the configuration of Method 2, the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion are arranged so that they at least partially overlap when viewed from the front. (See the description of the decorative body 2580 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the front and rear decorative parts, which are decorated in a coordinated manner, are arranged so that they partially overlap when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative part and the decoration of the rear decorative part when viewed from the front (front), allowing players to see the large decoration made up of the front and rear decorative parts in a better condition and further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 and means 2,
The center frame is characterized by being transparent.

Method 3 configures the center frame to be transparent. In other words, the center frame is made of a transparent material. (See the description of the center frame 2511 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

By making the center frame transparent, it is possible to make it less visible to players and less noticeable, while making the decorative body (front decorative part and rear decorative part) stand out in comparison, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, because the center frame is transparent, if the gaming panel is also made transparent and decorative objects or effect display devices are provided behind the gaming panel, the center frame becomes less noticeable, making the decorative objects and effect images visible through the transparent gaming panel more noticeable, thereby providing a gaming machine that provides more enjoyment to players.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The decorative body is
It has an opaque section that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "electronic components" include "LED boards," "relay boards," "ball sensors that detect game balls," "magnetic sensors," "displays for displaying special patterns," "solenoids for opening and closing variable winning openings," and "solenoids or drive motors for moving movable decorative elements."

Method 4 is configured so that the decorative body has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front. (See the description of decorative body 2580 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the opaque parts of the decorative body make it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front, and the opaque parts allow the wiring to be hidden, preventing the wiring from being visible and spoiling the appearance, making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 4,
"The decorative body is
It is located in front of the LED board on which the LED is mounted.
It is characterized by being something.

Method 5 is configured so that the decorative body is placed in front of the LED board on which the LEDs are mounted. (See the description of the LED board 2586 of the decorative body 2580 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the decorative body is placed in front of the LED board, allowing the LED board to be hidden by the decorative body (decoration), preventing the LED board from being visible and spoiling the appearance, and making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, by irradiating the decorative object with light from the LEDs mounted on the LED board, the LED board can make the decorative object appear illuminated, making it look bright and beautiful, entertaining players and preventing a decline in interest.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to means 5,
"The center frame has
A display is attached which can display the results of the lottery for the special symbol drawn by the starting ball of the game ball in the game area.
It is characterized by being something.

Means 6 is configured to attach a display to the center frame that can display the results of the special symbol lottery drawn by the starting ball in the play area. (See the description of the symbol display 2518 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the display for displaying special symbols is attached to the center frame, so the display can be attached to the gaming panel along with the center frame, reducing the effort required to assemble the gaming machine compared to when the display is attached separately.

Means 7: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel in which a gaming area in which gaming balls can flow down is formed,
The game board is
A display capable of displaying the result of a lottery of a special pattern drawn by a starting ball entry by a game ball in the game area is attached, and a frame-shaped transparent center frame is attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel;
a decorative body attached to the center frame, having a predetermined decoration and having an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see wiring of electronic components attached to the center frame from the front, and provided in front of an LED board on which LEDs are mounted;
Equipped with
The decorative body is
The center frame has a rear decorative portion extending within the frame and a portion of which protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion provided forward of the rear decorative portion,
The rear decorative portion and the front decorative portion are decorated to coordinate with each other, and are arranged so that they at least partially overlap when viewed from the front.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 7, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel that forms a gaming area into which gaming balls can flow, and the gaming board is equipped with a display that can display the results of a lottery for a special design drawn by a starting ball entry by a gaming ball within the gaming area. The gaming machine is also equipped with a transparent frame-shaped center frame that is attached from the front to an opening formed in the gaming panel, and a decorative body that is attached to the center frame and is decorated with a predetermined ornament and has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front, and is provided in front of the LED board on which LEDs are mounted. The decorative body has a rear decorative portion that extends within the frame of the center frame and has a portion that protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion that is provided forward of the rear decorative portion, and the rear decorative portion and front decorative portion are decorated to coordinate with each other and are provided so that at least a portion of them overlap when viewed from the front.

This allows a transparent center frame attached to the gaming panel of the gaming board to be fitted with a decorative body consisting of a rear decorative portion that partially protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame and a front decorative portion that is located forward of the rear decorative portion. The transparency of the center frame makes the decorative body less noticeable, making it stand out relatively, and the front and rear decorative portions of the decorative body can create a decorative effect with depth for the player. In this case, the rear and front decorative portions are decorated in a coordinated manner and are arranged so that they partially overlap when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decorative portion of the front and the decorative portion of the rear decorative portion when viewed from the front (front). This allows the player to see the large decoration of the front and rear decorative portions in a good condition, and the rear and front decorative portions can form a decorative body with a large, deep, and highly decorative effect. Therefore, by providing a decorative body with a highly decorative effect on the center frame, the decorative body can strongly attract the player's attention, preventing them from becoming bored, and a gaming machine can be provided that can prevent a decline in player interest.

In addition, because the rear decorative part that makes up the decorative body extends within the center frame, the rear decorative part does not narrow the playing area in front of the gaming panel or make it difficult to see the gaming balls flowing down the playing area, allowing players to enjoy playing with the gaming balls in the playing area in good condition.

Furthermore, since the rear decorative portion that makes up the decorative body extends within the framework of the center frame, if a performance display device, movable decorative body, decorative body, etc. is provided behind the gaming panel, the rear decorative portion can be used to decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or work in conjunction with the decorative body (movable decorative body) to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, providing a highly appealing gaming machine that can strongly attract the attention of players.

In addition, the opaque parts of the decorative body make it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front, and the opaque parts allow the wiring to be hidden, preventing the wiring from being visible and spoiling the appearance, making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, since the decorative body is placed in front of the LED board, the LED board can be hidden by the decorative body (decoration), preventing the LED board from being visible and spoiling the appearance, making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

In addition, because the display for displaying special symbols is attached to the center frame, the display can be attached to the gaming panel along with the center frame, reducing the effort required to assemble the gaming machine compared to when the display is attached separately.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can prevent players from losing interest by providing decorative elements with a more decorative effect.

[15-11c. Relationship between the solution of the eleventh technical feature and embodiments]
The game panel 1100 consisting of the panel board 1110 and the panel holder 1120 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the game panel of the above-mentioned solution means, the center frame 2511 of the center device 2500 in this embodiment corresponds to the center frame of the above-mentioned solution means, the pattern display 2518 in this embodiment corresponds to the display of the above-mentioned solution means, the decorative body 2580 in this embodiment corresponds to the decorative body of the above-mentioned solution means, the front decorative part 2581 in this embodiment corresponds to the front decorative part of the above-mentioned solution means, the rear decorative part 2582 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear decorative part of the above-mentioned solution means, and the LED board 2586 in this embodiment corresponds to the LED board of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-11d. Characteristic effects of the 11th technical feature]
According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2580 consisting of a rear decorative part 2582, part of which protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511, and a front decorative part 2581, which is provided forward of the rear decorative part 2582, is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the game panel 1100 of the game board 5.Therefore, since the center frame 2511 is transparent, it is less noticeable, making the decorative body 2580 stand out in comparison, and the front decorative part 2581 and rear decorative part 2582 of the decorative body 2580 can give the player a decorative appearance with depth. In this case, the rear decorative portion 2582 and the front decorative portion 2581 are decorated in a coordinated manner, and are arranged so that a portion of each overlaps when viewed from the front, making it possible to make it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion 2581 and the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2582 when viewed from the front (front), allowing the player to see the large decoration formed by the front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 in good condition, and the rear decorative portion 2582 and the front decorative portion 2581 can form a large, deep, and highly decorative decorative body 2580. Therefore, since the decorative body 2580 with a highly decorative effect can be provided on the center frame 2511, the decorative body 2580 can strongly attract the player's attention and prevent them from becoming bored, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of suppressing a decline in the player's interest.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2582 that constitutes the decorative body 2580 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, so the rear decorative portion 2582 does not narrow the game area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 or make it difficult to see the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a, allowing players to enjoy playing with the game ball B in the game area 5a in good condition.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2582 that constitutes the decorative body 2580 extends within the framework of the center frame 2511. This makes it possible to decorate the periphery of the performance display device 1600 (display screen) for the performance display device 1600, the back front performance unit 3300, the back rear performance unit 3400, etc., which are provided behind the gaming panel 1100, and to work in conjunction with the decorative bodies (movable decorative bodies) of the back front performance unit 3300 and the back rear performance unit 3400 to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, thereby providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting the attention of players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opaque portions of the decorative body 2580 make it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components such as the LED board 2586 from the front. This allows the wiring to be hidden by the opaque portions, preventing the wiring from being visible and detracting from the appearance, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body 2580.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the decorative body 2580 (front decorative portion 2581) is arranged in front of the LED board 2586, so the LED board 2586 can be hidden by the decorative body 2580 (decoration), which prevents the LED board 2586 from being visible and making it look unattractive, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body 2580.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pattern display 2518 for displaying special patterns is attached to the center frame 2511, so the pattern display 2518 can be attached to the gaming panel 1100 together with the center frame 2511, reducing the effort required for assembling the pachinko machine 1 compared to when the pattern display 2518 is attached separately.

[15-12. 12th Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-12a. Background of the 12th technical feature]
There is known a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that has a center role device that is attached from the front to an opening in a gaming panel that forms a gaming area into which gaming balls can flow, and that has a decorative body with a predetermined decoration (for example, Patent Document A12: JP 2017-074434 A). In the technology of Patent Document A12, the decorative body attached to the center role device is intended to improve the appearance of the gaming machine.

However, with the technology of Patent Document A12, flat decorative elements are placed near the front end of the central role-playing device, so even if the decorative elements are decorated with reliefs, they lack a sense of depth, and some players may quickly tire of looking at them, potentially reducing their interest.

In response to this, it is possible to enhance the decorativeness of the center role by providing a decorative body that is three-dimensionally formed in the front-to-back direction on the center role, but if the rear end of the decorative body protrudes further rearward than the center role (center frame), the protruding part can easily get in the way when manufacturing the gaming machine, making it difficult to handle (handle), and there is a risk that manufacturing costs will increase.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that can improve handling during manufacturing while maintaining decorativeness.

[15-12b. Solution of the 12th technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel in which a gaming area in which gaming balls can flow down is formed,
The game board is
A frame-shaped center frame attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel;
a decorative body attached to the center frame and having a predetermined decoration;
Equipped with
The decorative body is
a rear decorative portion extending within the center frame and provided forward of the rear end of the center frame;
and a front decorative portion that is arranged to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion.

Here, examples of "game panel" include "opaque panels such as plywood," "panels made of transparent resin," and "those composed of a panel made of transparent resin and a frame-shaped panel holder that holds the outer edge of the panel."

Examples of "center frames" include "those having a flat flange portion that can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel, and an inflow restriction portion that extends forward from the flange portion and restricts gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening of the gaming panel," and "those having an insertion portion that is inserted into the opening of the gaming panel and is arranged to fit along the inner surface of the opening, a flat flange portion that extends from the front end of the insertion portion in a direction along the surface of the gaming panel and can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel, and an inflow restriction portion that extends forward of the flange portion and restricts gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening of the gaming panel."

Furthermore, examples of "decorative objects" include "objects decorated with patterns created by printing or painting, etc.," "objects decorated with three-dimensionally shaped decorations," and "objects decorated with decorations that have a metallic luster, such as plating."

Further examples of "decorative objects" include "those that are illuminated by the light emitted by LEDs mounted on an LED board," "those that have opaque sections that make it difficult to see from the front the wiring of the electronic components (e.g., LED board, relay board, spherical sensor, magnetic sensor, display (display with special design), solenoid, etc.) located at the rear," and "those that have electronic components (e.g., LED board, relay board, spherical sensor, magnetic sensor, display (display with special design), solenoid, etc.) that protrude rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame."

In addition, examples of the relationship between the rear decorative portion and the front decorative portion that make up the decorative body include "a rear decorative portion decorated in a way that coordinates with the decoration of the front decorative portion," "a rear decorative portion decorated in the same way as the decoration of the front decorative portion so as to coordinate with the decoration of the front decorative portion," "a rear decorative portion decorated in a way that is different from the decoration of the front decorative portion," "a front decorative portion having a transparent portion through which the decoration of the rear decorative portion (rear decoration) behind it can be seen," and "a front decorative portion having a transparent portion through which the decoration of the rear decorative portion (rear decoration) behind it can be seen, and a plurality of dots on the transparent portion decorated with decoration that constitutes part of the front decoration."

In accordance with the configuration of Method 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming panel having a gaming area through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming panel includes a frame-shaped center frame attached from the front to an opening formed in the gaming panel, and a decorative body attached to the center frame and decorated with a predetermined ornament. The decorative body extends within the frame of the center frame and includes a rear decorative portion located forward of the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion located so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion. (See Chapter 11-1. Center Device of the First Embodiment and Figures 155 to 158 in the "Embodiment of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the center frame attached to the gaming panel of the gaming board is provided with a decorative body consisting of a rear decorative portion located forward of the rear end of the center frame and a front decorative portion located so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion, allowing the player to see a decoration with depth created by the front and rear decorative portions of the decorative body. In this case, because a portion of the rear decorative portion overlaps the front decorative portion, it is possible to make it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion and the decoration of the rear decorative portion when viewed from the front (front), allowing the player to see a large decoration created by the front and rear decorative portions, and the rear decorative portion and front decorative portion can form a large, deep, and highly decorative body. Therefore, because a decorative body with a highly decorative effect can be provided on the center frame, the decorative body can strongly attract the player's attention, making it difficult for them to become bored, and a gaming machine can be provided that can prevent a decline in player interest.

In addition, because the rear decorative portion is located forward of the rear end of the center frame, there are no parts that would protrude rearward from the center frame and get in the way during the manufacture of the gaming machine. This improves handling during manufacturing, and the improved workability helps to reduce increases in manufacturing costs. Specifically, for example, when the center frame is placed with its rear end facing down on a workbench, the center frame does not wobble. Furthermore, when handling the center frame during assembly or transportation, because no part of the decorative body protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame, there is no risk of the protruding part from the center frame coming into contact with other parts and being scratched or damaged. This eliminates the need for meticulous care during the work, improving workability.

Furthermore, because the rear decorative portion that makes up the decorative body extends within the center frame, the rear decorative portion does not narrow the playing area in front of the gaming panel or make it difficult to see the gaming balls flowing down the playing area, allowing players to enjoy playing with the gaming balls in the playing area in good condition.

In addition, because the rear decorative portion that makes up the decorative body extends within the framework of the center frame, if a performance display device, movable decorative body, decorative body, etc. is provided behind the gaming panel, the rear decorative portion can decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or work in conjunction with the decorative body (movable decorative body) to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, providing a highly appealing gaming machine that can strongly attract the attention of players.

It is desirable to apply decoration to the rear decorative portion that coordinates with the decoration of the front decorative portion. This allows the player to see the decoration of the rear decorative portion and the decoration of the front decorative portion as one large decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

It is also desirable to make the center frame transparent. This makes it difficult for players to see the center frame and makes it less noticeable, allowing the decorative body (front decorative part and rear decorative part) to stand out in comparison, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

The decorative body may also have an opaque section that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front. This makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front using the opaque section of the decorative body, and the wiring can be hidden by the opaque section, preventing the wiring from being visible and detracting from the appearance, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, the rear decorative portion is decorated with a rear decoration that is the same as the portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps in front of it when viewed from the front, and the front decorative portion may have a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which game balls flow, which is located in at least a portion of the front decorative portion between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, that allows the rear decoration and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be visible from the front. This allows the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion, which is located behind, to be visible through the transparent portion located in front of the ball passage on the front decorative portion when game balls are not flowing through the ball passage located between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion. In this case, because the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion has the same decoration as the front decoration of the front decorative portion, the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion complements the transparent portion on the front decoration of the front decorative portion, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if there were no transparent portion on the front decoration of the front decorative portion, ensuring the decorative effect of the decorative body. On the other hand, when game balls are flowing through the ball passage provided between the front decorative section and the rear decorative section, the game balls can be seen through the transparent section in the front decoration of the front decorative section, which prevents players from feeling distrustful or anxious when the game balls become invisible, even if only temporarily, and allows players to enjoy playing with game balls and prevents a decline in interest.

Furthermore, as described above, when a transparent portion is provided in the front decoration of the front decorative part in front of the ball passage, and the same rear decoration is provided on the rear decorative part behind the transparent portion, the front decorative part may have multiple dot portions provided in the transparent portion and decorated with decorations that are smaller than the gaming balls and form part of the front decoration. In this way, even if the decoration of the rear decorative part visible through the transparent portion of the front decoration of the front decorative part is blocked from view by a gaming ball flowing through the ball passage provided between the front decorative part and the rear decorative part, the decoration of the multiple dot portions provided in the transparent portion in front of the gaming ball can be seen, allowing the player to see the gaming ball in the ball passage while avoiding the appearance of the decorative body being impaired, and allowing the decorative effect of the decorative body to be fully realized.

The decorative body may also be placed in front of the LED board on which the LEDs are mounted. By placing the decorative body in front of the LED board, the LED board can be hidden by the decorative body (decoration), preventing the LED board from being visible and making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body.

The center frame may also be fitted with a display that can display the results of a lottery for a special symbol drawn when a gaming ball hits the play area. By doing so, the display for displaying the special symbol is attached to the center frame, so the display can be attached to the play panel together with the center frame, reducing the effort required for assembling the gaming machine compared to when a display is attached separately.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The rear decorative portion is decorated in a manner that is in harmony with the decoration of the front decorative portion."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "coordinated decoration" refers to "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative portion and the decoration of the back decorative portion form a single decoration (pattern)," "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative portion and the decoration of the back decorative portion are continuous with each other in a pattern (figure)," "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative portion or the decoration of the back decorative portion complement (emphasize) the decoration of the back decorative portion or the decoration of the front decorative portion," etc.

According to the configuration of Method 2, the rear decorative portion is decorated in a manner that coordinates with the decoration of the front decorative portion. (See the description of decorative body 2570 and decorative body 2570A in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

This allows the rear decorative part to be decorated in a way that coordinates with the decoration on the front decorative part, so that the decoration on the rear decorative part and the decoration on the front decorative part combine to form one large decoration for the player, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
The center frame is formed to be transparent.
It is characterized by being something.

Method 3 configures the center frame to be transparent. In other words, the center frame is made of a transparent material. (See the description of the center frame 2511 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

By making the center frame transparent, it is possible to make it less visible to players and less noticeable, while making the decorative body (front decorative part and rear decorative part) stand out in comparison, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, because the center frame is transparent, if the gaming panel is also made transparent and decorative objects or effect display devices are provided behind the gaming panel, the center frame becomes less noticeable, making the decorative objects and effect images visible through the transparent gaming panel more noticeable, thereby providing a gaming machine that provides more enjoyment to players.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The decorative body is
It has an opaque section that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "electronic components" include "LED boards," "relay boards," "ball sensors that detect game balls," "magnetic sensors," "displays for displaying special patterns," "solenoids for opening and closing variable winning openings," and "solenoids or drive motors for moving movable decorative elements."

Method 4 is configured so that the decorative body has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front. (See the description of decorative body 2570 and decorative body 2570A in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the opaque parts of the decorative body make it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front, and the opaque parts allow the wiring to be hidden, preventing the wiring from being visible and spoiling the appearance, making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
The rear decorative part is provided with a rear decoration having the same decoration as the part of the front decorative part that overlaps the front of the front decoration in a front view,
The front decorative portion has a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which the game balls flow, which is provided in at least a portion of the front decorative portion between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, through which the game balls flow. This transparent portion allows the game balls flowing through the rear decorative portion and the ball passage to be seen from the front.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "transparent portion" include "colorless transparent portion," "colored transparent portion," "through-hole portion," etc.

According to the configuration of Measure 5, the rear decorative portion is decorated with a rear decoration that is the same as the portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps the front decorative portion in front of it when viewed from the front. The front decorative portion has a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which the game balls pass, which is located at least partially between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, allowing the rear decorative portion and the game balls passing through the ball passage to be seen from the front. (See the description of the decorative body 2570 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, when no game balls are flowing through the ball passageway between the front and rear decorative sections, the rear decoration of the rear decorative section located at the rear can be seen through the transparent section located in front of the ball passageway in the front decoration of the front decorative section. In this case, because the rear decoration of the rear decorative section is the same as the front decoration of the front decorative section, the rear decoration of the rear decorative section complements the transparent section in the front decoration of the front decorative section, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if there were no transparent section in the front decoration of the front decorative section, ensuring the decorative effect of the decorative body is fully realized.

On the other hand, when game balls are flowing through the ball passageway located between the front and rear decorative sections, they can be seen through the transparent section in the front decoration of the front decorative section. This prevents players from feeling distrustful or anxious when the game balls become invisible, even if only temporarily, and allows players to enjoy playing with game balls while preventing a decline in interest.

Means 6: In the configuration of Means 5,
"The front decorative part is
The transparent portion has a plurality of dots that are smaller than the game ball and are decorated to form part of the front decoration.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 6, the front decorative portion has a plurality of decorative dots that are smaller than the game balls and that form part of the front decorative portion, provided in the transparent portion. (See the description of the decorative body 2570 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, even if the decoration of the rear decorative part, which can be seen through the transparent part of the front decoration of the front decorative part, is blocked by a gaming ball flowing through the ball passage provided between the front and rear decorative parts and becomes invisible, the decoration of the multiple dots provided in the transparent part in front of the gaming ball can be seen, allowing the player to see the gaming ball in the ball passage while avoiding the appearance of the decorative body being impaired, and allowing the decorative effect of the decorative body to be fully realized.

Means 7: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel in which a gaming area in which gaming balls can flow down is formed,
The game board is
A frame-shaped transparent center frame attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel;
a decorative body attached to the center frame, having a predetermined decoration and an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see wiring of electronic components attached to the center frame from the front;
Equipped with
The decorative body is
a rear decorative portion extending within the center frame and provided forward of the rear end of the center frame;
a front decorative part provided to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative part,
The rear decorative portion is provided with a rear decoration that is coordinated with the front decoration of the front decorative portion and has the same decoration as a portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps the front decoration of the front decorative portion in a front view,
The front decoration has a transparent portion in a portion in front of the ball passage through which the game balls flow, which is provided in at least a portion of the front decoration between the front decoration and the rear decoration, that allows the rear decoration and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be seen from the front, and a plurality of dot portions that are provided in the transparent portion and are decorated with a size smaller than the game balls and that constitute part of the front decoration.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 7, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel in which a gaming area is formed through which gaming balls can flow down, the gaming board comprises a frame-shaped transparent center frame that is attached from the front to an opening formed in the gaming panel, and a decorative body attached to the center frame that is decorated with a predetermined ornament and has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front, and the decorative body extends within the frame of the center frame and comprises a rear decorative portion that is located forward of the rear end of the center frame, and at least one of the rear decorative portions The front decorative portion has a front decorative portion that overlaps the front of the front decorative portion, and the rear decorative portion has a rear decorative portion that is coordinated with the front decorative portion and has the same decoration as the portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps in front of it when viewed from the front. The front decorative portion has a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which the game balls flow, which is provided in at least a portion of the front decorative portion between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, and which allows the rear decorative portion and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be seen from the front, and a plurality of dot portions that are provided in the transparent portion and are decorated with dots that are smaller than the game balls and form part of the front decorative portion.

As a result, a decorative body consisting of a rear decorative portion located forward of the rear end of the center frame and a front decorative portion located so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion is attached to a transparent center frame attached to the gaming panel of the gaming board. Because the center frame is transparent, the decorative body stands out relatively by making it less noticeable, and the front and rear decorative portions of the decorative body create a decorative effect with depth. In this case, the rear and front decorative portions are decorated in a coordinated manner, and are arranged so that they partially overlap when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decorative portion of the front and the decorative portion of the rear decorative portion when viewed from the front (front). This allows the player to see the large decorative body made up of the front and rear decorative portions in a good condition, and the rear and front decorative portions create a decorative body with a large, deep, and highly decorative effect. Therefore, because the center frame can be fitted with decorative elements that have a highly decorative effect, the decorative elements can strongly attract the attention of players, making it difficult for them to become bored, and it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can prevent players from losing interest.

The rear decorative portion is decorated with a rear decoration that is the same as the portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps in front of it when viewed from the front. The front decorative portion has a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which game balls flow, located at least partially between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, which allows the rear decoration and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be seen from the front, and a plurality of dots in the transparent portion that are decorated and smaller than the game balls and form part of the front decoration. Therefore, when game balls are not flowing through the ball passage between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion located behind can be seen through the transparent portion located in front of the ball passage on the front decorative portion. In this case, because the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion is the same as the front decoration of the front decorative portion, the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion complements the transparent portion of the front decoration of the front decorative portion, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if there were no transparent portion on the front decoration of the front decorative portion, ensuring the decorative effect of the decorative body is fully realized.

On the other hand, when a gaming ball is flowing through the ball passageway between the front and rear decorative sections, the gaming ball can be seen through the transparent portion of the front decoration of the front decorative section. This prevents the player from feeling distrustful or anxious when the gaming ball is even temporarily hidden from view, allowing the player to enjoy the game with the gaming ball and preventing a decline in interest. In this case, because the transparent portion is provided with multiple dots that form part of the front decoration, even if the decoration of the rear decoration part, which can be seen through the transparent portion of the front decoration of the front decorative section, is blocked by a gaming ball flowing through the ball passageway between the front and rear decorative sections and becomes invisible, the decoration of the multiple dots provided in the transparent portion in front of the gaming ball can be seen, allowing the player to see the gaming ball in the ball passageway while preventing the decorative body from becoming unattractive, allowing the decorative effect of the decorative body to be fully realized.

In addition, because the rear decorative portion is located forward of the rear end of the center frame, there are no parts that would protrude rearward from the center frame and get in the way during the manufacture of the gaming machine. This improves handling during manufacturing, and the improved workability helps to reduce increases in manufacturing costs. Specifically, for example, when the center frame is placed with its rear end facing down on a workbench, the center frame does not wobble. Furthermore, when handling the center frame during assembly or transportation, because no part of the decorative body protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame, there is no risk of the protruding part from the center frame coming into contact with other parts and being scratched or damaged. This eliminates the need for meticulous care during the work, improving workability.

In addition, because the rear decorative part that makes up the decorative body extends within the center frame, the rear decorative part does not narrow the playing area in front of the gaming panel or make it difficult to see the gaming balls flowing down the playing area, allowing players to enjoy playing with the gaming balls in the playing area in good condition.

Furthermore, since the rear decorative portion that makes up the decorative body extends within the framework of the center frame, if a performance display device, movable decorative body, decorative body, etc. is provided behind the gaming panel, the rear decorative portion can be used to decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or work in conjunction with the decorative body (movable decorative body) to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, providing a highly appealing gaming machine that can strongly attract the attention of players.

In addition, the opaque parts of the decorative body make it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front, and the opaque parts allow the wiring to be hidden, preventing the wiring from being visible and spoiling the appearance, making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that maintains decorativeness while improving ease of handling during manufacturing.

[15-12c. Relationship between the solution of the twelfth technical feature and embodiments]
The game panel 1100 consisting of the panel board 1110 and the panel holder 1120 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the game panel of the above-mentioned solution means, the center frame 2511 of the center device 2500 in this embodiment corresponds to the center frame of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball passage 2517 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball passage of the above-mentioned solution means, the decorative body 2570 and the decorative body 2570A in this embodiment correspond to the decorative body of the above-mentioned solution means, the front decorative part 2572 in this embodiment corresponds to the front decorative part of the above-mentioned solution means, the transparent part 2572a in this embodiment corresponds to the transparent part of the above-mentioned solution means, the dot part 2572b in this embodiment corresponds to the dot part of the above-mentioned solution means, and the rear decorative part 2573 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear decorative part of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-12d. Characteristic effects of the 12th technical feature]
According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) consisting of a rear decorative portion 2573 that is provided forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511 and a front decorative portion 2572 that is provided so as to overlap with at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion 2573 is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 that is attached to the game panel 1100 of the game board 5.Therefore, since the center frame 2511 is transparent, it is less noticeable and the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) can be made to stand out relatively, and the front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) can be made to appear to the player as a decoration with depth. In this case, the rear decorative portion 2573 and the front decorative portion 2572 are decorated in a coordinated manner, and are arranged so that a portion of each overlaps when viewed from the front, making it possible to make it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 and the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 when viewed from the front (front), allowing the player to see the large decoration formed by the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 in good condition, and the rear decorative portion 2573 and the front decorative portion 2572 can form a large, deep, and highly decorative decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A). Therefore, since the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) with a high decorative effect can be provided on the center frame 2511, the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) can strongly attract the player's attention and prevent them from becoming bored, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of suppressing a decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the decorative body 2570, the rear decorative portion 2573 is provided with a decoration (rear decoration) that is the same as the portion of the decoration (front decoration) of the front decorative portion 2572 that overlaps in front of it when viewed from the front, and the front decorative portion 2572 is provided with a transparent portion 2573 in the portion in front of the ball passage 2517 through which the game ball B flows, which is provided in at least a portion of the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573, that allows the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 and the game ball B flowing through the ball passage 2517 to be visible from the front. 572a, and multiple dot portions 2572b, which are provided in the transparent portion 2572a and are smaller than the game ball B and are decorated to form part of the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572. Therefore, when the game ball B is not flowing through the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573, the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573, which is provided at the rear, can be seen through the transparent portion 2572a provided in the portion of the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 in front of the ball passage 2517. At this time, because the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 is the same as the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 complements the transparent portion 2572a in the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if the transparent portion 2572a were not present in the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, and ensuring the decorative effect of the decorative body 2570.

On the other hand, when game ball B is circulating through the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573, game ball B can be seen through the transparent portion 2572a in the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, so it is possible to avoid causing distrust or anxiety among the player due to game ball B becoming invisible, even if only temporarily, and to allow the player to enjoy playing with game ball B and prevent a decline in interest. In this case, since the transparent portion 2572a is provided with multiple dot portions 2572b that form part of the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, even if the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 that can be seen through the transparent portion 2572a in the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 is blocked from view by a game ball B flowing through the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 and becomes invisible, the decoration of the multiple dot portions 2572b provided in the transparent portion 2572a in front of the game ball B can be seen, allowing the player to see the game ball B in the ball passage 2517 while preventing the appearance of the decorative body 2570 from being impaired, and allowing the decorative effect of the decorative body 2570 to be fully demonstrated.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) is located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511, and there are no parts that would protrude rearward from the center frame 2511 and get in the way during the manufacture of the pachinko machine 1. This improves handling during manufacturing, and the improved workability helps to reduce increases in manufacturing costs. Specifically, for example, when the center frame 2511 is placed with its rear end facing down on a workbench TA, the center frame 2511 does not wobble. Furthermore, when the center frame 2511 is being handled during assembly work, transportation work, etc., because a portion of the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) does not protrude rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511, there is no risk of the protruding portion from the center frame 2511 coming into contact with other components and being scratched or damaged. This eliminates the need for meticulous care during the work, improving workability.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2573 that constitutes the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, so the rear decorative portion 2573 does not narrow the game area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 or make it difficult to see the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a, allowing players to enjoy playing with the game ball B in the game area 5a in good condition.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2573 constituting the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) extends within the framework of the center frame 2511. This makes it possible to decorate the periphery of the performance display device 1600 (display screen) for the performance display device 1600, the back front performance unit 3300, the back rear performance unit 3400, etc., which are provided behind the gaming panel 1100, and to work in conjunction with the decorative bodies (movable decorative bodies) of the back front performance unit 3300 and the back rear performance unit 3400 to show decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, thereby providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting the attention of players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opaque portions of decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) make it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components such as LED boards from the front, and since the wiring can be hidden by the opaque portions, it is possible to prevent the wiring from being visible and thereby prevent the appearance from being impaired, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A).

[15-13. Thirteenth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-13a. Background of the 13th technical feature]
There is known a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that is equipped with a center device that is attached from the front to an opening in a gaming panel that forms a gaming area through which gaming balls can flow, and that serves as an inflow restriction section that restricts gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening of the gaming panel (for example, Patent Document A13: JP 2017-074434 A). According to the technology of Patent Document A13, the center device can divide the gaming area into desired sizes.

However, with the technology of Patent Document A13, if the size of the opening in the gaming panel differs depending on the model of gaming machine, it is necessary to manufacture a separate center device (inflow restriction section), making it difficult to reuse the inflow restriction section.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that allows the inflow restriction section to be reused even if the opening of the gaming panel differs depending on the model.

[15-13b. Solution of the 13th technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where gaming balls can flow down,
The game board is
A gaming panel on the front side of which the gaming area is formed;
an inflow restriction portion provided corresponding to an edge portion of the opening formed in the game panel, which restricts game balls flowing down the game area from flowing into the opening;
Equipped with
The inflow restriction portion has at least a first inflow restriction portion and a second inflow restriction portion,
The first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion each have a flange portion formed along the front surface of the gaming panel, and at least one of their ends has a non-flange portion where the flange portion is not formed, and the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end of the second inflow restriction portion are attached to the front surface of the gaming panel by an attachment portion provided on the flange portion so that they are adjacent to each other.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "game panel" include "opaque panels such as plywood," "panels made of transparent resin," and "those composed of a panel made of transparent resin and a frame-shaped panel holder that holds the outer edge of the panel."

Furthermore, examples of "flange portion" include "something that extends outward from the opening in the gaming panel, with the inflow restriction portion as the boundary," "something that extends inward from the opening in the gaming panel, with the inflow restriction portion as the boundary," and "something that extends both outward and inward from the opening in the gaming panel, with the inflow restriction portion as the boundary."

The "non-flange portion" may be provided on the side of the inflow restriction portion facing the center of the gaming panel, on the side of the inflow restriction portion facing outward away from the center of the gaming panel, or on both sides of the inflow restriction portion.

Furthermore, examples of a configuration in which "the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end of the second inflow restriction portion are attached so that they are adjacent to each other" include "the end face of the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end face of the end of the second inflow restriction portion are attached so that they face each other," "the inner side of the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the outer side of the end of the second inflow restriction portion are attached so that they face each other," and "the outer side of the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the inner side of the end of the second inflow restriction portion are attached so that they face each other." Furthermore, the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end of the second inflow restriction portion may be in contact with each other or may be separated from each other.

According to the configuration of the first aspect, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a play area through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming board comprises a gaming panel on the front side of which the play area is formed, and an inflow restriction portion disposed corresponding to the edge of an opening formed in the gaming panel, which restricts gaming balls flowing down the play area from entering the opening. The inflow restriction portion has at least a first inflow restriction portion and a second inflow restriction portion, each of which has a flange portion formed along the front side of the gaming panel, and at least one of its ends has a non-flange portion without a flange portion. The first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion are attached to the front side of the gaming panel by means of an attachment portion provided on the flange portion so that the ends of the first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion are adjacent to each other. (See Chapter 11-3. Center Device of the Third Embodiment and Figures 160 to 163 in the "Modes for Carrying Out the Invention" section.)

As a result, the inflow restriction section, which is provided corresponding to the edge of the opening of the gaming panel that forms the gaming area on the front side and restricts gaming balls from entering the opening, is composed of at least a first inflow restriction section and a second inflow restriction section, and is attached so that the end of the first inflow restriction section and the end of the second inflow restriction section are adjacent to each other on the front side of the gaming panel via the mounting section of the flange section provided on each section. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction section and the second inflow restriction section relative to the gaming panel, the inflow restriction section can be attached to gaming panels with openings of various sizes and shapes without having to be newly manufactured, and the inflow restriction section can be reused even if the model is different.

More specifically, for example, by installing the ends of the first and second inflow restriction parts so that they are spaced apart, it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with large openings. In this case, it is desirable that the gap between the ends of the first and second inflow restriction parts be large enough to prevent gaming balls from passing through, but if the gap is large enough that gaming balls can pass through, it is also possible to prevent gaming balls from passing through by planting obstacle nails in the gap.

Alternatively, by attaching the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end of the second inflow restriction portion so that their respective side surfaces face each other, it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with small openings. In this case, by providing a non-flange portion on at least one end of the first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion, it is possible to bring the side of the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the side of the end of the second inflow restriction portion as close as possible to each other, which increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion, making it easier to accommodate gaming panels with openings of various sizes.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, since it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with openings of various sizes, if it is desired to change the size of the gaming area due to design changes, etc., the size of the gaming area can be easily changed by changing the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction unit and the second inflow restriction unit, thereby increasing the design freedom of the gaming machine. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture a new inflow restriction unit to fit the changing size of the gaming area, which helps to suppress increases in the costs associated with the gaming machine.

The gaming board may further include multiple frames, from a first frame with a first inflow restriction section to an nth frame with an nth inflow restriction section (n is an integer of two or more), and a connecting and retaining section that prevents at least one frame from falling off the gaming panel. This allows the inflow restriction section to be made up of multiple frames, so that by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame relative to the gaming panel, the same effects as above can be achieved. Furthermore, because the inflow restriction section is made up of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in one frame, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, the connecting and retaining sections prevent the frames from falling off the gaming panel and becoming damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, when providing a connecting retaining portion as described above, it is desirable that the connecting retaining portion be formed in the shape of a flexible string. This allows the connecting retaining portion to flexibly deform and follow changes in the mounting position relationship between the first inflow restriction portion (first frame) and the second inflow restriction portion (second frame), for example. This allows the connecting retaining portion to accommodate changes in the size and shape of the opening in the gaming panel while preventing the frame from falling off the gaming panel.

Furthermore, as described above, by providing a flexible string-like connecting and retaining part, when the frame tries to detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining part will flexibly deform, providing resistance and preventing the frame from immediately detaching from the gaming panel. Furthermore, if the frame does detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining part will flexibly deform, reducing the falling speed and absorbing the impact, thereby preventing damage to the frame.

Furthermore, when providing a connecting and retaining portion as described above, it is desirable to connect adjacent frames together using the connecting and retaining portion. This makes it easier to handle multiple frames as a single unit compared to connecting one end of the connecting and retaining portion to a gaming panel or other component, improving workability during the manufacture of gaming machines, etc.

Furthermore, when providing a connecting and retaining part as described above, it is desirable to provide the connecting and retaining part so that it can be attached and detached from the frame. This allows, for example, when attaching multiple frames to the gaming panel in sequence, or when removing some frames from the gaming panel for maintenance, etc., to easily move and handle the frames by simply removing and attaching the connecting and retaining part, thereby improving workability.

Furthermore, by making the connecting and retaining parts detachable as described above, it becomes possible to connect the frame to the gaming panel using the connecting and retaining parts until the frame is attached to the gaming panel, and then remove the connecting and retaining parts once the frame is attached to the gaming panel, thereby preventing the connecting and retaining parts from spoiling the appearance.

Furthermore, when multiple frames are provided as described above, the gaming board may further include electronic components attached to at least one of the frames. This allows electronic components to be attached to at least one frame, and since the weight of the frame to which the electronic components are attached increases, if the frame detaches from the gaming panel and falls during assembly work, etc., the weight of the frame makes it more susceptible to damage. However, because a connecting retaining section is provided to prevent the frame from falling, the frame will not fall to a workbench, floor, etc. and be damaged. Therefore, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably utilize the effects of the electronic components attached to the frame.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The game board is
a plurality of frames from a first frame in which the first inflow restriction unit is provided to an nth frame in which an nth inflow restriction unit (n is an integer of 2 or more) is provided;
and a connecting and retaining portion that prevents at least one of the frames from falling off the game panel.

Here, the number of multiple frames, "n," is preferably in the range of 2 to 6. If the number of frames exceeds this range, attaching the frames during manufacturing of the gaming machine becomes more time-consuming and may increase costs. Electronic components such as LED boards may be attached to some of the multiple frames.

Examples of the "connecting and retaining part" include "flexible string-like parts" and "flexible band-like parts." Examples of the "connecting and retaining part" include "parts that connect adjacent frames together," "parts that connect a frame to another component," and "parts that connect a frame to a gaming panel." Furthermore, the "connecting and retaining part" may or may not be decorative. It is also desirable that the "connecting and retaining part" be long enough so that if the frame comes off the gaming panel and falls while the gaming board is upright, the frame will not come into contact with the table, floor, etc.

According to the configuration of Method 2, the gaming board further comprises multiple frames, from a first frame having a first inflow restriction portion to an nth frame having an nth inflow restriction portion (n is an integer of two or more), and a connecting/retaining portion that prevents at least one frame from falling off the gaming panel. (See the description of the center frame 2700 and the connecting/retaining portion 2710 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, because the inflow restriction section is made up of multiple frames, the same effects as above can be achieved by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame relative to the gaming panel. Furthermore, because the inflow restriction section is made up of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in one of the frames, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, because a connecting retaining section is provided, it is possible to prevent the frames from falling off the gaming panel and being damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the gaming machine.

Means 3: In the configuration of Means 2,
"The connecting and holding portion is
It is characterized by being "formed in a flexible string shape."

In the configuration of Feature 3, the connection and retention portion is formed in a flexible string-like shape. (See the description of the connection and retention portion 2710 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the connecting and retaining part is made flexible and string-like, so even if the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction part (first frame) and the second inflow restriction part (second frame) are changed, the connecting and retaining part can flexibly deform to follow, preventing the frame from falling off the gaming panel while also being able to accommodate the size and shape of the opening in the gaming panel.

In addition, because the connecting and retaining parts are made in the form of flexible strings, when the frame tries to detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining parts attempt to flexibly deform, providing resistance and preventing the frame from immediately detaching from the gaming panel. Furthermore, if the frame does detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining parts flexibly deform, reducing the falling speed and absorbing the impact, thereby preventing damage to the frame.

Means 4: In the configuration of means 2 or means 3,
"The connecting and holding portion is
The frame is characterized by "connecting adjacent frames together."

In the configuration of Measure 4, the connecting and retaining portion connects adjacent frames. (See the description of the connecting and retaining portion 2710 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

This makes it easier to handle multiple frames as a single unit compared to connecting one end of the connecting holder to a gaming panel or other component, improving workability during the manufacture of gaming machines.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from means 2 to means 4,
"The connecting and holding portion is
The device is characterized in that it is "detachably attached to the frame."

In accordance with the configuration of Feature 5, the connecting and retaining portion is detachably attached to the frame. (See the description of the connecting and retaining portion 2710 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

This means that, for example, when attaching multiple frames to a gaming panel in sequence or removing some of the frames from the gaming panel for maintenance, the connecting retaining portion can be removed and then attached, making the frames easier to handle and maneuver, and improving workability.

In addition, because the connecting and retaining parts are detachable, the frame can be connected by the connecting and retaining parts until it is attached to the gaming panel, and then the connecting and retaining parts can be removed once the frame is attached to the gaming panel, preventing the connecting and retaining parts from spoiling the appearance.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 2 to means 5,
"The game board is
At least one electronic component attached to the frame,
The invention is characterized in that it further comprises:

Here, "electronic components" include "LED boards," "relay boards," "ball sensors," "magnetic sensors," "displays (displays with special designs)," "solenoids," "motors," etc.

According to the configuration of means 6, the gaming board further includes electronic components attached to at least one frame. (See the description of the symbol display 2518 and center frame 2700 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

This allows electronic components to be attached to at least one frame, and since the weight of the frame with the electronic components attached increases, if the frame were to come off the gaming panel and fall during assembly work, the weight of the frame could easily damage it. However, because a connecting retainer is provided to prevent the frame from falling, the frame will not fall to a workbench or floor and be damaged. This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably utilize the effects of the electronic components attached to the frame.

Means 7: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where gaming balls can flow down,
The game board is
A gaming panel on the front side of which the gaming area is formed;
an inflow restriction section provided in correspondence with the edge of the opening formed in the game panel, restricting game balls flowing down the game area from flowing into the opening, and including a first inflow restriction section to an n-th inflow restriction section (n is an integer of 2 or more);
a plurality of frames from a first frame in which the first inflow restriction unit is provided to an nth frame in which an nth inflow restriction unit (n is an integer of 2 or more) is provided;
a connecting and retaining portion that prevents at least one of the frames from falling off the game panel;
at least one electronic component attached to the frame;
Equipped with
The inflow restriction portion is
The mth inflow regulation portion (m is an integer between 1 and n-1) and the (m+1)th inflow regulation portion each have a flange portion formed along the front surface of the gaming panel, and at least one of their ends has a non-flange portion where the flange portion is not formed, and the mth inflow regulation portion and the (m+1)th inflow regulation portion are attached to the front surface of the gaming panel by an attachment portion provided on the flange portion so that the end of the mth inflow regulation portion and the end of the (m+1)th inflow regulation portion are adjacent to each other;
The connection holding portion is
It is formed in the shape of a flexible string, connects adjacent frames together, and is detachably attached to the frames.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 7, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming board comprises a gaming panel on the front side of which the gaming area is formed, an inflow restriction portion provided corresponding to the edge of an opening formed in the gaming panel and restricting gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening, the inflow restriction portion having first to n-th inflow restriction portions (n is an integer of 2 or greater), a plurality of frames from the first frame on which the first inflow restriction portion is provided to the n-th frame on which the n-th inflow restriction portion (n is an integer of 2 or greater) is provided, a connecting retaining portion that prevents at least one frame from falling from the gaming panel, and at least one frame. and electronic components attached to the frames, and the mth inflow restriction section (m is an integer between 1 and n-1) and the (m+1)th inflow restriction section each have a flange section formed along the front surface of the gaming panel, and at least one of their ends has a non-flange section where no flange section is formed. The mth and (m+1)th inflow restriction sections are attached to the front surface of the gaming panel so that their ends are adjacent to each other using attachment sections provided on the flange sections, and the connecting and retaining section is formed in the shape of a flexible string that connects adjacent frames and is detachably attached to the frames.

As a result, the inflow restriction units, which are provided corresponding to the edge of the opening of the gaming panel that forms the gaming area on the front side and restrict gaming balls from entering the opening, are composed of at least a first inflow restriction unit through an nth inflow restriction unit (n is an integer of two or more), and are attached to the front of the gaming panel via the mounting portion of the flange provided on each unit so that the end of the mth inflow restriction unit (m is an integer between 1 and n-1) and the end of the (m+1)th inflow restriction unit are adjacent to each other. By appropriately selecting the mounting position relationship between the mth inflow restriction unit and the (m+1)th inflow restriction unit relative to the gaming panel, the inflow restriction units can be attached to gaming panels with openings of various sizes and shapes without having to be newly manufactured, and the inflow restriction units can be reused even across different models.

In the following detailed explanation, assuming m is 1, for example, by installing the ends of the first inflow restriction part and the second inflow restriction part so that they are spaced apart, it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with large openings. In this case, it is desirable that the gap between the ends of the first inflow restriction part and the second inflow restriction part is large enough to prevent gaming balls from passing through, but if the gap is large enough that gaming balls can pass through, it is also possible to prevent gaming balls from passing through by planting obstacle nails.

Alternatively, by attaching the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end of the second inflow restriction portion so that their respective side surfaces face each other, it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with small openings. In this case, by providing a non-flange portion on at least one end of the first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion, it is possible to bring the side of the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the side of the end of the second inflow restriction portion as close as possible to each other, which increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion, making it easier to accommodate gaming panels with openings of various sizes.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, since it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with openings of various sizes, if it is desired to change the size of the gaming area due to design changes, etc., the size of the gaming area can be easily changed by changing the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction unit and the second inflow restriction unit, thereby increasing the design freedom of the gaming machine. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture a new inflow restriction unit to fit the changing size of the gaming area, which helps to suppress increases in the costs associated with the gaming machine.

Furthermore, because the inflow restriction section is made up of multiple frames, the same effects as above can be achieved by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame relative to the gaming panel. Also, because the inflow restriction section is made up of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in one of the frames, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, because a connecting retaining section is provided, it is possible to prevent the frames from falling off the gaming panel and being damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, because the connecting and retaining part is made flexible and string-like, even if the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction part (first frame) and the second inflow restriction part (second frame) are changed, the connecting and retaining part can flexibly deform to follow, preventing the frame from falling off the gaming panel while also being able to accommodate the size and shape of the opening in the gaming panel.

In addition, because the frame is provided with a flexible, string-like connecting and retaining part, when the frame tries to detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining part attempts to flexibly deform, providing resistance and preventing the frame from immediately detaching from the gaming panel. If the frame does detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining part flexibly deforms, reducing the falling speed and absorbing the impact, preventing damage to the frame.

Furthermore, because adjacent frames are connected by the connecting and retaining portion, it is easier to handle multiple frames as a single unit compared to when one end of the connecting and retaining portion is connected to a gaming panel or other component, improving workability during the manufacture of gaming machines, etc.

In addition, because the connecting and retaining parts are detachable from the frame, when, for example, attaching multiple frames to the gaming panel in sequence or removing some of the frames from the gaming panel for maintenance, the connecting and retaining parts can be detached and attached, making the frames easier to handle and maneuver, and improving workability.

In addition, because the connecting and retaining parts are detachable, the frame can be connected by the connecting and retaining parts until it is attached to the gaming panel, and then the connecting and retaining parts can be removed once the frame is attached to the gaming panel, preventing the connecting and retaining parts from spoiling the appearance.

Furthermore, electronic components are attached to at least one frame, and since the weight of the frame with the electronic components attached increases, if the frame were to come off the gaming panel and fall during assembly work, the weight of the frame would make it more susceptible to damage. However, because a connecting retainer is provided to prevent the frame from falling, the frame will not fall to a workbench or floor and be damaged. This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably utilize the effects of the electronic components attached to the frame.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine in which the inflow restriction section can be reused even if the opening of the gaming panel differs depending on the model.

[15-13c. Relationship between the solution of the thirteenth technical feature and embodiments]
The game panel 1100 (see FIG. 161) in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solving means, the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 of this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the game panel of the above-mentioned solving means, the pattern display 2518, the second starting port unit 2720, the attacker unit 2730, and the role winning port unit 2740 of this embodiment correspond to the electronic components of the above-mentioned solving means, and the inflow restriction portion 2700a of the center frame 2700 in the center role 2500A of this embodiment corresponds to the electronic components of the above-mentioned solving means. The flange portion 2700b of the center frame 2700, the first flange portion 2701b of the first frame 2701, and the second flange portion 2702b of the second frame 2702 in this embodiment correspond to the flange portions of the above-mentioned solution means, and the non-flange portion 2700c of the center frame 2700, the first non-flange portion 2701c of the first frame 2701, and the second non-flange portion 2702c of the second frame 2702 in this embodiment correspond to the non-flange portions of the above-mentioned solution means, respectively.

In addition, the first frame 2701, second frame 2702, third frame 2703, fourth frame 2704, and fifth frame 2705 in this embodiment correspond to the frames of the above-mentioned solution means, the first inflow restriction portion 2701a in this embodiment corresponds to the first inflow restriction portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the second inflow restriction portion 2702a in this embodiment corresponds to the second inflow restriction portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the mounting holes provided in flange portions 2700b such as first flange portion 2701b and second flange portion 2702b in this embodiment correspond to the mounting portions of the above-mentioned solution means, and the connecting and retaining portion 2710 in this embodiment corresponds to the connecting and retaining portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-13d. Characteristic effects of the 13th technical feature]
According to this embodiment, in the center frame 2700 of the center role 2500A of the game board 5, the inflow restriction portion 2700a is provided corresponding to the edge portion of the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 where the game area 5a is formed on the front side, and restricts the game ball B from flowing into the inside of the opening 1112. The inflow restriction portion 2700a is composed of at least a first inflow restriction portion 2701a and a second inflow restriction portion 2702a, and the inflow restriction portion 2700a is provided on the game panel 1100 via the mounting portion of the flange portion 2700b (the first flange portion 2701b and the second flange portion 2702b). Since the end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a are attached adjacent to each other on the front surface, by appropriately selecting the relative attachment positions of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a relative to the gaming panel 1100, the inflow restriction portion 2700a (center frame 2700) can be attached to gaming panels 1100 having openings 1112 of various sizes and shapes without having to be newly manufactured, and the inflow restriction portion 2700a (center frame 2700) can be reused even if the model is different.

More specifically, for example, by installing the end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a so that they are spaced apart, it is possible to accommodate a gaming panel 1100 with a large opening 1112. In this case, it is desirable that the gap C between the end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a be large enough to prevent the passage of gaming ball B, but if the gap C is large enough to allow gaming ball B to pass through, it is also possible to prevent the passage of gaming ball B by planting obstacle nails.

Alternatively, by attaching the end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a so that their respective side surfaces face each other, it is possible to accommodate gaming panels 1100 with small openings 1112. In this case, by providing a non-flange portion 2700c (first non-flange portion 2701c or second non-flange portion 2702c) on at least one end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a, it is possible to bring the side of the end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the side of the end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a as close as possible to each other, which increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a (first frame 2701) and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a (second frame 2702), making it easier to accommodate gaming panels 1100 with openings 1112 of various sizes.

Furthermore, as described above, since it is possible to accommodate game panels 1100 having openings 1112 of various sizes, if it is desired to change the size of the play area 5a due to a design change or the like, the size of the play area 5a can be easily changed by changing the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a (first frame 2701) and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a (second frame 2702), thereby increasing the design freedom of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture a new inflow restriction portion 2700a (center frame 2700) to match the size of the play area 5a, which helps to prevent increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the inflow restriction section 2700a (center frame 2700) is composed of multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 to the fifth frame 2705, the same effects as those described above can be achieved by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame relative to the gaming panel 1100. Also, because the inflow restriction section 2700a is composed of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in one of the frames, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, because the connecting and holding section 2710 is provided, it is possible to prevent the frames from falling from the gaming panel 1100 and being damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is made flexible and string-like, even if the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a (first frame 2701) and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a (second frame 2702) are changed, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 can flexibly deform to follow, thereby preventing the frame from falling off the gaming panel 1100 and adapting to the size and shape of the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100.

In addition, because a flexible, string-like connecting and retaining portion 2710 is provided, when a frame such as the first frame 2701 attempts to detach from the gaming panel 1100, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 attempts to flexibly deform, providing resistance and preventing the frame from immediately detaching from the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, if the frame detaches from the gaming panel 1100, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 flexibly deforms, reducing the falling speed and absorbing the impact, thereby preventing damage to the frame.

Furthermore, because adjacent frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, are connected by the connecting and holding portion 2710, it is easier to handle multiple frames as a single unit compared to when one end of the connecting and holding portion 2710 is connected to the gaming panel 1100 or other components, thereby improving workability during the manufacture of the pachinko machine 1, etc.

Furthermore, because the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is detachably attached to the frame, for example, when attaching multiple frames to the gaming panel 1100 in sequence or removing some frames from the gaming panel for maintenance, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 can be removed and attached, improving the handling and maneuverability of the frames and workability.

In addition, because the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is detachable, it is possible to connect the frame with the connecting and retaining portion 2710 until the frame is attached to the gaming panel 1100, and then remove the connecting and retaining portion 2710 once the frame is attached to the gaming panel 1100, thereby preventing the presence of the connecting and retaining portion 2710 from spoiling the appearance.

Furthermore, electronic components such as the symbol display 2518 are attached to at least one frame. Since the weight of the frame with the electronic components attached increases, if the frame were to come off the gaming panel 1100 and fall during assembly of the pachinko machine 1, the weight of the frame would make it more susceptible to damage. However, because a connecting retainer 2710 is provided to prevent the frame from falling, the frame will not fall to a workbench, floor, etc. and be damaged. Therefore, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can reliably utilize the effects of the electronic components attached to the frame.

[15-14. 14th Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-14a. Background of the 14th technical feature]
Conventionally, there are known gaming machines that hold a lottery to determine whether a jackpot will be awarded based on the entry of a gaming ball into a starting slot, and if the lottery results in a jackpot, a jackpot symbol is statically displayed on a display device to trigger a jackpot game. Furthermore, many gaming machines have been proposed that control the game to a state more advantageous to the player than normal after the jackpot game has ended (for example, Patent Document A14: JP 2016-26097 A).

In recent years, even when a large number of balls are awarded to a fraudster due to new fraudulent activities, it is difficult to distinguish between these cases and cases where a large number of balls have been awarded to a player due to a bias in the probability of winning or losing. This makes it difficult for gaming halls to urge fraudsters to stop playing, and has created problems in managing gaming machines. Furthermore, there are also cases where a large number of balls are awarded to legitimate players due to a bias in the probability of winning or losing, which has led to problems such as so-called "addiction."

The following measures have been implemented in light of these circumstances, and their purpose is to provide a gaming machine that allows for the optimization of the management of gaming machines that award large amounts of winnings.

[15-14b. Solution of the 14th technical feature]
Effective solutions for achieving the above-mentioned object are shown below. The operation and other details will be explained as necessary. For ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations and other details will be shown in the embodiments of the invention as appropriate, but are not intended to be limiting.

In order to achieve the above object, in the configuration according to Solution 1,
In a gaming machine, a game board having a plurality of winning holes is provided, a symbol variation game is performed based on a ball entering a starting hole provided on the game board, and a predetermined winning game is executed when the result of the symbol variation game is a winning game.
A prize ball awarding means for awarding prize balls based on winning into the prize opening;
A ball difference determination means for determining whether or not the ball difference for a predetermined period has reached a specific value;
a game control means for controlling the progress of a game;
Preparation,
The difference in balls is a difference between a first count value calculated based on the game balls consumed in the game and a second count value calculated based on the winning balls,
the specific value is a value that is set in advance based on a difference when at least the second count value is greater than the first count value,
The game control means
The game machine is characterized by having a game suppression means for controlling subsequent games in a suppressed manner when the ball difference determination means determines that the ball difference has reached the specific value.

In the above configuration, when the ball difference determination means determines that the ball difference has reached a specific value, subsequent play is controlled in a suppressed manner. This prevents a large number of balls from being awarded in subsequent play, encourages the player to stop playing, and optimizes the management of gaming machines that have awarded a large number of balls (see, for example, Chapter [10-1. New Mode of Game Management], Figures 112 to 117, etc.).

[15-14c. Characteristic effects of the 14th technical feature]
In this way, according to the above solution, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can optimize the management of gaming machines that award large amounts of balls.

[15-15. 15th Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-15a. Background of the 15th technical feature]
In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, large decorative elements have been proposed to enhance the appeal of the machine to players, making it easier for players to select the machine as their preferred gaming machine (Patent Document A15: JP 2016-154728 A). However, in conventional gaming machines such as those described in Patent Document A15, the large decorative elements create a strong initial impact, and some players may quickly become accustomed to them, making it difficult for them to select the machine as their preferred gaming machine. In addition, large decorative elements increase manufacturing costs and are heavy, requiring reinforcement to accommodate the decorative elements, which increases the cost of the gaming machine.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine equipped with unprecedented decorations that are lightweight while increasing appeal to players.

[15-15b. Solution of the 15th technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game board has an opening extending from front to back,
The opening is provided with a center accessory,
The center feature is
A peripheral wall portion extending forward from the game board and preventing game balls from entering inside the opening;
An extension portion that extends outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view and has a flow-down area on the front side through which game balls flow down;
A convex portion formed on the extension portion and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
and
A recess is provided on the rear side of the protrusion, and the surface of the recess can reflect decorative light.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of cross-sectional shapes of the side include "semicircular," "triangular," "trapezoidal," "quadrilateral," "polygonal such as pentagonal or hexagonal," and "irregular shapes based on free curves."

The "recess" may be a recess, and examples include a "shape similar to the shape of the protrusion" and a "shape different from the shape of the protrusion." It is also desirable for the "recess" to have a curved surface or multiple flat surfaces with different angles, which makes it possible to reflect light in various directions.

According to the configuration of means 1, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls flow. The gaming board has an opening that penetrates from front to back, and a center device in the opening. The center device has a peripheral wall that extends forward of the gaming board and prevents gaming balls from entering the opening, an extension that extends outward from the peripheral wall in a front view and has a flow-down area on the front side through which gaming balls flow, and a protrusion formed on the extension that affects the flow-down speed of the gaming balls. A recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and decorative light can be reflected on the surface of the recess (see the description in Chapter [11-8e. Passage Decorative Part], Figure 138, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, decorative light can be reflected by the recessed portion provided on the backside of the protruding portion that affects the circulation speed of the game balls in the extension portion that forms the flow area of the center device, allowing the flow area through which the game balls circulate to be illuminated and decorated using this reflected light. Therefore, even though the extension portion of the center device does not have the ostentatious decorations found in conventional gaming machines, the illuminated decoration of the extension portion makes it possible for players to recognize that this gaming machine is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of previous gaming machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing gaming machine that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, because a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, when viewed from the front, the shape of the protrusion and the recess appear more complex than when only a protrusion is provided, and this shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

In addition, because a convex portion is provided in the flow-down area where the gaming balls flow, the convex portion can slow down the speed at which the gaming balls flow down in the flow-down area, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. In this case, a concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, and this concave portion reflects decorative light to create an illuminating decoration. This illuminating decoration makes the gaming balls flowing down the flow-down area appear as silhouettes, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. As a result, players can enjoy the movement of the gaming balls flowing down the flow-down area, and it is possible to prevent a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, the weight of the center device can be reduced compared to when there is no recess, resulting in a reduction in weight and a reduction in the cost of the center device. Furthermore, because the center device can be made lighter, it is no longer necessary to reinforce it, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and this helps to prevent increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

Means 2: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game board has an opening extending from front to back,
The opening is provided with a center accessory,
The center feature is
A peripheral wall portion extending forward from the game board and preventing game balls from entering inside the opening;
a flange portion extending outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view;
Equipped with
A front member is provided which is a member different from the center role and is fixed to the game board,
The front member is
An extension portion extending along the game board and having a flow-down area on the front side through which game balls flow down;
A convex portion formed on the extension portion and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
and
A recess is provided on the rear side of the protrusion, and the surface of the recess can reflect decorative light.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "front component" include "one that has at least a large prize opening (e.g., an attacca unit)", "one that has at least a special prize opening (e.g., a special prize opening unit)", "one that has at least a start prize opening (e.g., a start opening unit)", "one that has at least a gate (e.g., a gate unit)", "one that has at least a general prize opening or a regular prize opening (e.g., a prize opening unit)", etc.

Furthermore, the "convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of the cross-sectional shape of the side include "semicircular," "triangular," "trapezoidal," "quadrilateral," "polygonal such as pentagonal or hexagonal," and "irregular shape with a free curve."

The "recess" may be a recess, and examples include a "shape similar to the shape of the protrusion" and a "shape different from the shape of the protrusion." It is also desirable for the "recess" to have a curved surface or multiple flat surfaces with different angles, which makes it possible to reflect light in various directions.

According to the configuration of means 2, the gaming machine is provided with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls flow. The gaming board has an opening penetrating from front to back, and a center device in the opening. The center device extends forward of the gaming board and includes a peripheral wall portion that prevents gaming balls from entering the opening, and a flange portion that extends outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view. The gaming machine also includes a front member that is a separate member from the center device and is fixed to the gaming board. The front member has an extension portion that extends along the gaming board and has a flow-down area on the front side through which gaming balls flow, and a protrusion formed on the extension portion that affects the flow-down speed of the gaming balls. A recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and decorative light can be reflected on the surface of the recess (see the description in Chapter [11-8e. Passage Decorative Part], Figure 139, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, decorative light can be reflected by the recessed portion located on the back side of the protruding portion that affects the speed at which game balls flow in the extension portion that forms the flow-down area of the front member, which is different from the center role-playing device. This reflected light can illuminate and decorate the flow-down area through which game balls flow. Therefore, even though the extension portion of the front member does not have the ostentatious decorations found in conventional gaming machines, the illumination of the extension portion makes it possible for players to recognize that this gaming machine is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of previous gaming machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing gaming machine that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, because a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, when viewed from the front, the shape of the protrusion and the recess appear more complex than when only a protrusion is provided, and this shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

In addition, because a convex portion is provided in the flow-down area where the gaming balls flow, the convex portion can slow down the speed at which the gaming balls flow down in the flow-down area, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. In this case, a concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, and this concave portion reflects decorative light to create an illuminating decoration. This illuminating decoration makes the gaming balls flowing down the flow-down area appear as silhouettes, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. As a result, players can enjoy the movement of the gaming balls flowing down the flow-down area, and it is possible to prevent a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the back side of the convex portion, the weight of the front member can be reduced compared to when no recess is provided, resulting in a lighter weight and reduced costs for the front member. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the front member, it is possible to eliminate the need for reinforcement, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and this helps to prevent increases in costs for the gaming machine.

Means 3: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game board has an opening extending from front to back,
The opening is provided with a center accessory,
The center feature is
A peripheral wall portion extending forward from the game board and preventing game balls from entering inside the opening;
An extension portion that extends outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view and has a flow-down area on the front side through which game balls flow down;
A front plate facing the extension portion at a distance allowing game balls to flow down;
A protrusion formed on the front plate that affects the flow speed of the game ball;
and
A recess is provided on the rear side of the protrusion, and the surface of the recess can reflect decorative light.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of cross-sectional shapes of the side include "semicircular," "triangular," "trapezoidal," "quadrilateral," "polygonal such as pentagonal or hexagonal," and "irregular shapes based on free curves."

The "recess" may be a recess, and examples include a "shape similar to the shape of the protrusion" and a "shape different from the shape of the protrusion." It is also desirable for the "recess" to have a curved surface or multiple flat surfaces with different angles, which makes it possible to reflect light in various directions.

According to the configuration of Means 3, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls flow. The gaming board has an opening that penetrates from front to back, and a center device in the opening. The center device has a peripheral wall that extends forward of the gaming board and prevents gaming balls from entering the opening, an extension that extends outward from the peripheral wall in a front view and has a flow-down area on the front side through which gaming balls flow, a front plate facing the extension at a distance that allows gaming balls to flow down, and a protrusion formed on the front plate that affects the flow-down speed of the gaming balls. A recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and decorative light can be reflected on the surface of the recess (see Chapter 11-8e. Passage Decorative Part, Figure 138, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, decorative light can be reflected by the recessed portion on the back side of the protruding portion that affects the circulation speed of the game balls on the front panel, which is located opposite the extending portion that forms the flow area of the center device. This reflected light can illuminate and decorate the flow area through which the game balls circulate. Therefore, even though the front panel of the center device does not have the ostentatious decorations found on conventional gaming machines, the extending portion illuminates and decorates, making it possible for players to recognize that this gaming machine is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of previous gaming machines, resulting in a highly appealing gaming machine that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, because a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, when viewed from the front, the shape of the protrusion and the recess appear more complex than when only a protrusion is provided, and this shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

In addition, because a convex portion is provided in the flow-down area where the gaming balls flow, the convex portion can slow down the speed at which the gaming balls flow down in the flow-down area, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. In this case, a concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, which reflects decorative light to create an illuminating decoration, and because the convex portion and concave portion are provided on the front panel in front of the flow-down area, the front of the gaming balls flowing down the flow-down area are illuminated, making the gaming balls appear to sparkle.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the back side of the convex portion of the front plate of the center device, the weight of the center device can be reduced compared to when no recess is provided, resulting in a lighter weight and reduced costs for the center device. Furthermore, because the center device can be made lighter, it is no longer necessary to reinforce it, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and costs associated with the gaming machine can be kept down.

The extension of the center device may further include an extension convex portion that affects the speed at which the gaming balls flow, and an extension concave portion that can reflect decorative light on the back side of the extension convex portion. This allows the extension concave portion provided on the extension to reflect decorative light and illuminate, so the front and back of the flow area through which the gaming balls flow can be illuminated with light reflected by the concave portion and the extension concave portion. Therefore, because the extension and front panel illuminate, players can recognize that this gaming machine is equipped with decorations that are completely different from previous gaming machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing gaming machine that can strongly attract players' attention.

Furthermore, as described above, if the extension of the center accessory is provided with an extension convex portion and an extension concave portion on the back side of the extension convex portion, when viewed from the front, the shapes of the convex portion and concave portion on the front panel, as well as the shapes of the extension convex portion and extension concave portion on the extension portion, will be visible, and these shapes will act as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

Furthermore, as described above, when an extension protrusion is provided on the extension of the center device, the front and rear extension protrusions allow the gaming ball to swing back and forth. This further slows the flow speed of the gaming ball compared to when only a protrusion is provided, making the movement of the gaming ball easier to see. In this case, a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and an extension protrusion is provided on the back side of the extension protrusion. These recesses and extension protrusions reflect decorative light to create an illuminating decoration. The illuminating decoration of the extension protrusion makes the gaming ball appear as a silhouette, while the illuminating decoration of the recess makes it appear to sparkle. This allows the illuminating decoration to be enjoyed along with the movement of the gaming ball, preventing a decline in interest in the game. In this case, it is desirable to arrange the protrusions of the front panel and the extension protrusions of the extension in an alternating (staggered) pattern in the direction of the flow of the gaming ball.

Means 4: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"A front plate facing the extension portion at a distance that allows the game balls to flow down,
A second convex portion formed on the front plate and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
and
A second recess is provided on the rear side of the second protrusion, and decorative light can be reflected by the surface of the second recess.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "second convex portion" may have a similar shape to the convex portion provided on the extension portion, or it may have a different shape from the convex portion. Furthermore, the "second concave portion" may have a similar shape to the second convex portion, or it may have a different shape from the second convex portion.

According to the configuration of Measure 4, when the extension portion is provided with a convex portion and a concave portion, there is a front plate facing the extension portion at a distance that allows the gaming balls to flow down, and a second convex portion formed on the front plate that affects the speed at which the gaming balls flow down, and a second concave portion is provided on the back side of the second convex portion, allowing decorative light to be reflected on the surface of the second concave portion (see the description of front plate 2571, front plate convex portion 2594b, and front plate concave portion 2595b in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, the extensions on the center gimmick and front member are provided with convex portions, and the backside of the convex portions is provided with concave portions capable of reflecting decorative light. Furthermore, a front plate is provided in front of the extensions, and a second convex portion is provided on the front plate, and a second concave portion capable of reflecting decorative light is provided on the backside of the second convex portion. Therefore, the light reflected by the concave portion and the light reflected by the second concave portion can illuminate and decorate the front and back of the flow area through which the game balls flow. Therefore, even though the extensions and front plate of the center gimmick and front member do not have the ostentatious decorations found in conventional gaming machines, the illumination of the extensions and front plate makes it possible for players to recognize that this gaming machine is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of previous gaming machines, resulting in a highly appealing gaming machine that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, the extension behind the downflow area is provided with a convex portion and a concave portion behind the convex portion, and the front panel in front of the downflow area is provided with a second convex portion and a second concave portion behind the second convex portion. Therefore, when viewed from the front, the shapes of the convex portion and the concave portion, as well as the shapes of the second convex portion and the second concave portion, are visible, and these shapes act as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

In addition, a convex portion is provided on the extension that forms the rear wall of the flow-down area where the gaming balls flow, and a second convex portion is provided on the front panel that forms the front wall of the flow-down area. This allows the gaming balls to swing back and forth using the convex portion and second convex portion, further slowing the speed at which the gaming balls flow down compared to when only a convex portion is provided, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. In this case, a concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, and a second concave portion is provided on the back side of the second convex portion. These concave and second concave portions reflect decorative light to create luminous decoration, so the luminous decoration of the concave portion makes the gaming balls appear as silhouettes, while the luminous decoration of the second concave portion makes them appear to sparkle. This allows the luminous decoration to be enjoyed along with the movement of the gaming balls, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"A plurality of the protrusions are provided, and some of the protrusions have specific protrusions on the back side where the recesses are not provided."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, multiple convex portions are provided, some of which have specific convex portions on the back side that do not have concave portions (see the description of specific convex portion 2596 in the [Description of Embodiments]).

With this configuration, some of the multiple protrusions are special protrusions that do not have a recess on the back side. In other words, there is a mixture of protrusions with a recess on the back side and protrusions (special protrusions) that do not have a recess on the back side. This means that the back side of the special protrusions cannot reflect decorative light like the recesses, making it possible to create different lighting decorations between the protrusions and the special protrusions.

In addition, since the shapes seen from the front differ between protrusions with recesses on the backside and specific protrusions without recesses on the backside, it is possible to create a more varied decoration seen from the front compared to when multiple protrusions with recesses on the backside are provided.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine equipped with unprecedented decorations that are lightweight while increasing their appeal to players.

[15-15c. Relationship between the solution of the 15th technical feature and embodiments]
The game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of the second embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment corresponds to the front member of the above-mentioned solution means, the door upper passage section 2416 of the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment, the attacca passage section 2517a, right edge passage section 2517b, exit passage section 2517g, and ball passage 2591 of the ball passage 2517 of the center role 2500 correspond to the flow-down area of the above-mentioned solution means, the base plate 2431 of the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment, the flange section 2511b of the center role and the rear plate section 2592 correspond to the extension section of the above-mentioned solution means, and the front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment and the front plate 2571 of the decorative body 2570 of the center role 2500 correspond to the front plate of the above-mentioned solution means, respectively.

In addition, the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center role piece 2500 in this embodiment corresponds to the peripheral wall portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the convex portion 2594, rear plate convex portion 2594a, and front plate convex portion 2594b in this embodiment correspond to the convex portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the front plate convex portion 2594b in this embodiment corresponds to the second convex portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the concave portion 2595, rear plate concave portion 2595a, and front plate concave portion 2595b in this embodiment correspond to the concave portion of the above-mentioned solution means, and the front plate concave portion 2595b in this embodiment corresponds to the second concave portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-15d. Characteristic effects of the 15th technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the flange portion 2511b (rear plate portion 2592) forming the flow-down area in the center role device 2500 of the game board 5 of the second embodiment, decorative light can be reflected by the rear plate recessed portion 2595a provided on the back side of the rear plate protruding portion 2594a that affects the circulation speed of the game balls B, and the reflected light can illuminate and decorate the flow-down area (ball passage 2591) through which the game balls B circulate. Therefore, even though the flange portion 2511b of the center role device 2500 is not provided with an ostentatious decoration like conventional pachinko machines, the flange portion 2511b illuminates and decorates, making it possible for players to recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional pachinko machines, and it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing and capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, because a rear plate recess 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a on the flange portion 2511b, when viewed from the front, a complex shape appears due to the shape of the rear plate protrusion 2594a and the shape of the rear plate recess 2595a, compared to when only a protrusion is provided. This shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

In addition, because a rear plate convex portion 2594a is provided in the flow-down area (ball passage 2591) where game ball B flows down, the rear plate convex portion 2594a can slow down the flow-down speed of game ball B in this flow-down area, making the movement of game ball B easier to see. In this case, a rear plate concave portion 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a, and the rear plate concave portion 2595a is designed to reflect decorative light and provide luminous decoration, so the luminous decoration can make game ball B appear as a silhouette as it flows down the flow-down area, making the movement of game ball B easier to see. As a result, players can enjoy the movement of game ball B as it flows down the flow-down area, and it is possible to prevent a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, the front plate 2571 of the decorative body 2570, which is provided opposite the flange portion 2511b that forms the flow area (ball passage 2591) of the center role device 2500, can reflect decorative light by the front plate recess 2595b provided on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b, which affects the circulation speed of the game balls B, and this reflected light can illuminate and decorate the flow area through which the game balls B flow. Therefore, even though the front plate 2571 of the center role device 2500 does not have an ostentatious decoration like conventional pachinko machines, the front plate 2571 is illuminated and decorated, making it possible for players to recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional pachinko machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, because a front panel recess 2595b is provided on the back side of the front panel protrusion 2594b, when viewed from the front, a complex shape is seen due to the shape of the front panel protrusion 2594b and the shape of the front panel recess 2595b, compared to when only a protrusion is provided, and this shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

Furthermore, because the front plate convex portion 2594b is provided in the flow-down area where the game ball B flows down, the front plate convex portion 2594b can slow down the flow-down speed of the game ball B in this flow-down area, making the movement of the game ball B easier to see. In this case, a front plate concave portion 2595b is provided on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b, and the front plate concave portion 2595b reflects decorative light to provide luminous decoration, and because the front plate convex portion 2594b and front plate concave portion 2595b are provided on the front plate 2571 in front of the flow-down area (ball passage 2591), the front of the game ball B flowing down the flow-down area is luminous and decorated, making the game ball B appear to be sparkling.

Furthermore, the center role-playing device 2500 has a rear plate convex portion 2594a on the flange portion 2511b and a rear plate concave portion 2595a on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a, and also has a front plate convex portion 2594b on the front plate 2571 in front of the flange portion 2511b and a front plate concave portion 2595b on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b. As a result, the light reflected by the rear plate concave portion 2595a on the flange portion 2511b and the light reflected by the front plate concave portion 2595b on the front plate 2571 can illuminate and decorate the back and front of the flow area (ball passage 2591) through which the game ball B flows. Therefore, because the flange portion 2511b and front panel 2571 of the center role device 2500 are illuminated, it is possible for players to recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of previous pachinko machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is able to strongly attract the player's attention.

In addition, as described above, the flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 of the center role piece 2500 are provided with the rear plate convex portion 2594a and rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the front plate convex portion 2594b and front plate concave portion 2595b. Therefore, when viewed from the front, the shape of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the shape of the rear plate concave portion 2595a on the flange portion 2511b, as well as the shape of the front plate convex portion 2594b and the shape of the front plate concave portion 2595b on the front plate 2571, can be seen, and these shapes act as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

In addition, as described above, the rear plate convex portions 2594a and front plate convex portions 2594b are arranged alternately (staggered) in the flow direction of the game ball B on the flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 of the center device 2500, so that the front plate convex portion 2594b on the front side and the rear plate convex portion 2594a on the rear side make it possible to swing the game ball B back and forth, and the flow speed of the game ball B can be further slowed down compared to when a convex portion is provided on only one side, making it easier to see the movement of the game ball B. In this case, a rear plate recess 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and a front plate recess 2595b is provided on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b. The rear plate recess 2595a and front plate recess 2595b reflect decorative light to create an illuminating decoration. The illuminating decoration of the rear plate recess 2595a makes the game ball B appear as a silhouette, while the illuminating decoration of the front plate recess 2595b makes it appear to sparkle. This allows the illuminating decoration to be enjoyed along with the movement of the game ball B, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, in the attacca unit 2400, which is different from the center role device 2500, the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 that form the flow area (door-over passage section 2416) can reflect decorative light by the recessed section 2595 provided on the back side of the protrusion 2594 that affects the circulation speed of the game ball B, and this reflected light can illuminate and decorate the flow area through which the game ball B flows. Therefore, even though the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400 do not have ostentatious decorations like those of conventional pachinko machines, the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 are illuminated and decorated, making it possible for players to recognize that this is a pachinko machine 1 that is decorated in a completely different way from previous pachinko machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400 have recesses 2595 on the back side of the protrusions 2594. When viewed from the front, the shapes of the protrusions 2594 and recesses 2595 create a complex shape, compared to when only protrusions are provided. This shape acts as a decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

In addition, a convex portion 2594 is provided in the door upper passage portion 2416 above the large prize opening door 2413 in the attacca unit 2400, so that the flow speed of the game ball B can be slowed down at the large prize opening door 2413 by the convex portion 2594.By slowing the flow speed of the game ball B, the movement of the game ball B can be made easier to see, and when the large prize opening door 2413 opens at that timing, it becomes easier to win the large prize opening 2005. In this case, a recess 2595 is provided on the back side of the protrusion 2594, and the decorative light is reflected in the recess 2595 to create an illuminated decoration, so that the game ball B flowing (rolling) down the large prize opening door 2413 appears as a silhouette and sparkling, increasing the sense of anticipation for the game ball B's movement to win the large prize opening 2005 and allowing the player to enjoy the illuminated decoration, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, because recesses 2595 are provided on the backside of the convex portions 2594 in the flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 of the center role device 2500, and the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400, the weight of the center role device 2500 and the attacca unit 2400 can be reduced compared to when recesses 2595 are not provided, resulting in a reduction in weight and a reduction in the costs associated with the center role device 2500 and the attacca unit 2400. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the center role device 2500 and the attacca unit 2400, it is possible to eliminate the need for reinforcement that was required in conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

[15-16. 16th Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-16a. Background of the 16th technical feature]
In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, large decorative elements have been proposed to enhance the appeal of the machine to players, making it easier for players to select the machine as their preferred gaming machine (Patent Document A16: JP 2016-154728 A). However, in conventional gaming machines such as those described in Patent Document A16, the large decorative elements create a strong initial impact, which can quickly become accustomed to by some players, making it difficult for players to select the machine as their preferred gaming machine. In addition, large decorative elements are expensive to manufacture and heavy, requiring reinforcement to accommodate the decorative elements, which increases the cost of the gaming machine.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine equipped with unprecedented decorations that are lightweight while increasing appeal to players.

[15-16b. Solution of the 16th technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game board has an opening extending from front to back,
The opening is provided with a center accessory,
The center feature is
A peripheral wall portion extending forward from the game board and preventing game balls from entering inside the opening;
An extension portion that extends outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view and has a flow-down area on the front side through which game balls flow down;
A convex portion formed on the extension portion and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
and
A recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and the recess is covered with a specific material different from the game board, making the recess untouchable by fingers.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of cross-sectional shapes of the side include "semicircular," "triangular," "trapezoidal," "quadrilateral," "polygonal such as pentagonal or hexagonal," and "irregular shapes based on free curves."

The "recess" may be a recess, and examples include a "shape similar to the shape of the protrusion" and a "shape different from the shape of the protrusion." It is also desirable for the "recess" to have a curved surface or multiple flat surfaces with different angles, which makes it possible to reflect light in various directions.

Furthermore, "specific components" include "LED boards on which multiple LEDs are mounted,"

Furthermore, "untouchable" means that the recess cannot be touched by the fingers of an operator, etc., and examples include "a structure in which the extension and the specific member are in contact with each other with no gap between them," "a structure in which a finger cannot fit in even if a gap is provided between the extension and the specific member (a structure in which a gap large enough to fit a finger)," and "a structure in which a gap large enough to fit a finger is provided between the extension and the specific member, but the outer periphery is surrounded by the specific member or another member, so a finger cannot fit in the gap."

However, if a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion formed on the extension, the gaming machine's appearance will be compromised if the inside of the recess becomes dirty when a worker's fingers touch the inside of the recess during manufacturing. Furthermore, if the inside of the recess becomes dirty, wiping it off is time-consuming due to its recessed shape, so careful work is required to prevent the recess from becoming dirty, which can unnecessarily lengthen the work time and increase costs.

According to the configuration of means 1, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls flow. The gaming board has an opening that penetrates from front to back, and a center device in the opening. The center device has a peripheral wall that extends forward of the gaming board and prevents gaming balls from entering the opening, an extension that extends outward from the peripheral wall in a front view and has a flow-down area on the front side through which gaming balls flow, and a protrusion formed on the extension that affects the flow-down speed of the gaming balls. A recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and the recess is covered with a specific member different from the gaming board, making the recess untouchable (see the descriptions of the center device 2500, specific member 2519, Figure 138, etc. in Chapter 11-8e. Passage Decorative Part in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, the extension that forms the flow area of the center device has a recess on the back side of the protrusion that affects the circulation speed of the game balls. Therefore, when viewed from the front, compared to when only a protrusion is provided, the shape of the protrusion and the shape of the recess appear to be more complex. This shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect. In this case, the recess is made untouchable by a specific member, so workers' fingers will not touch and get dirty during the manufacturing of the gaming machine, improving the appearance and ensuring the decorative effect of the recess. Therefore, even though the extension of the center device does not have the ostentatious decoration of conventional gaming machines, the unprecedented decoration made up of the protrusion and recess is visible, making it possible for players to recognize that this gaming machine has decoration that is completely different from previous gaming machines, resulting in a gaming machine with high appeal that can strongly attract players' attention.

In addition, because a convex portion is provided in the flow-down area where the gaming ball flows, the convex portion can slow down the speed at which the gaming ball flows down in the flow-down area, making the movement of the gaming ball easier to see. In this case, a concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, allowing the convex portion and concave portion to create a decoration that has never been seen before, and this decoration can decorate the back of the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down area, making the gaming ball stand out. As a result, players can enjoy the movement of the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down area, and it is possible to prevent a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the backside of the convex portion, the weight of the center device can be reduced compared to when no recess is provided, resulting in a lighter weight and reduced costs for the center device. Furthermore, because the center device can be made lighter, it is no longer necessary to reinforce it, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and costs associated with the gaming machine can be reduced. Furthermore, because the recess is covered with a specific material so that it cannot be touched by fingers, workers' fingers will not come into contact with the recess during manufacturing, so there is no need to work carefully to avoid dirtying the recess. This simplifies the work and reduces costs.

In addition, by providing a recess on the back side of the convex portion, it is possible to reflect decorative light on the surface of the recess. This allows the light reflected on the recess to illuminate and decorate the flow area where the game balls flow, and the illuminated decoration on the extension portion can strongly attract the player's attention. Furthermore, by reflecting decorative light on the recess of the extension portion to create an illuminated decoration, the game balls flowing down in front of the extension portion are illuminated and decorated from behind, making the game balls appear as silhouettes and making their movement easier to see.

Means 2: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game board has an opening extending from front to back,
The opening is provided with a center accessory,
The center feature is
A peripheral wall portion extending forward from the game board and preventing game balls from entering inside the opening;
a flange portion extending outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view;
Equipped with
A front member is provided which is a member different from the center role and is fixed to the game board,
The front member is
An extension portion extending along the game board and having a flow-down area on the front side through which game balls flow down;
A convex portion formed on the extension portion and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
and
A recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and the recess is covered with a specific material different from the game board, making the recess untouchable by fingers.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "front component" include "one that has at least a large prize opening (e.g., an attacca unit)", "one that has at least a special prize opening (e.g., a special prize opening unit)", "one that has at least a start prize opening (e.g., a start opening unit)", "one that has at least a gate (e.g., a gate unit)", "one that has at least a general prize opening or a regular prize opening (e.g., a prize opening unit)", etc.

Furthermore, the "convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of the cross-sectional shape of the side include "semicircular," "triangular," "trapezoidal," "quadrilateral," "polygonal such as pentagonal or hexagonal," and "irregular shape with a free curve."

The "recess" may be a recess, and examples include a "shape similar to the shape of the protrusion" and a "shape different from the shape of the protrusion." It is also desirable for the "recess" to have a curved surface or multiple flat surfaces with different angles, which makes it possible to reflect light in various directions.

Further examples of "specific components" include "LED boards on which multiple LEDs are mounted," "decorative sheets or decorative cells with specific decorations," "decorative bodies with three-dimensional decorations," "ball guide members for ejecting game balls behind the game board," and "drive mechanisms for moving movable decorative bodies."

Furthermore, "untouchable" means that the recess cannot be touched by the fingers of an operator, etc., and examples include "a structure in which the extension and the specific member are in contact with each other with no gap between them," "a structure in which a finger cannot fit in even if a gap is provided between the extension and the specific member (a structure in which a gap large enough to fit a finger)," and "a structure in which a gap large enough to fit a finger is provided between the extension and the specific member, but the outer periphery is surrounded by the specific member or another member, so a finger cannot fit in the gap."

However, if a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion formed on the extension, the gaming machine's appearance will be compromised if the inside of the recess becomes dirty when a worker's fingers touch the inside of the recess during manufacturing. Furthermore, if the inside of the recess becomes dirty, wiping it off is time-consuming due to its recessed shape, so careful work is required to prevent the recess from becoming dirty, which can unnecessarily lengthen the work time and increase costs.

According to the configuration of Method 2, the gaming machine is provided with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls flow. The gaming board has an opening penetrating from front to back, and a center device in the opening. The center device extends forward of the gaming board and includes a peripheral wall portion that prevents gaming balls from entering the opening inside, and a flange portion that extends outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view. The gaming machine also includes a front member that is a member different from the center device and is fixed to the gaming board. The front member has an extension portion that extends along the gaming board and has a flow-down area on the front side through which gaming balls flow, and a protrusion formed on the extension portion that affects the flow-down speed of the gaming balls. A recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and the recess is covered with a specific member different from the gaming board, making the recess untouchable (see the descriptions of the attacca unit 2400, specific member 2519, Figure 139, etc. in Chapter 11-8e. Passage Decorative Part in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, the extension portion that forms the flow area of the front member, which is different from the center gadget, has a recessed portion on the back side of the protrusion that affects the circulation speed of the game balls. Therefore, when viewed from the front, compared to when only a protrusion is provided, the shapes of the protrusion and the recessed portion create a complex shape, which acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect. In this case, the recessed portion is made untouchable by the specific member, so workers' fingers will not touch and get dirty during the manufacturing of the gaming machine, improving the appearance and ensuring the decorative effect of the recessed portion. Therefore, even though the extension portion of the front member does not have the ostentatious decoration of conventional gaming machines, the unprecedented decoration made up of the protrusion and recessed portion is visible, making it possible for players to recognize that this gaming machine has decorations that are completely different from those of conventional gaming machines, resulting in a gaming machine with high appeal that can strongly attract players' attention.

In addition, because a convex portion is provided in the flow-down area where the gaming ball flows, the convex portion can slow down the speed at which the gaming ball flows down in the flow-down area, making the movement of the gaming ball easier to see. In this case, a concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, allowing the convex portion and concave portion to create a decoration that has never been seen before, and this decoration can decorate the back of the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down area, making the gaming ball stand out. As a result, players can enjoy the movement of the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down area, and it is possible to prevent a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the back side of the convex portion, the weight of the front member can be reduced compared to when no recess is provided, resulting in a lighter weight and reduced costs for the front member. Furthermore, because the front member can be made lighter, it is possible to eliminate the reinforcement required in conventional gaming machines, thereby suppressing increases in the costs of the gaming machine. Furthermore, because the recess is covered with a specific member so that it cannot be touched by fingers, workers' fingers will not come into contact with the recess during manufacturing, so there is no need to work carefully to avoid dirtying the recess. This simplifies the work and suppresses increases in costs.

In addition, by providing a recess on the back side of the convex portion, it is possible to reflect decorative light on the surface of the recess. This allows the light reflected on the recess to illuminate and decorate the flow area where the game balls flow, and the illuminated decoration on the extension portion can strongly attract the player's attention. Furthermore, by reflecting decorative light on the recess of the extension portion to create an illuminated decoration, the game balls flowing down in front of the extension portion are illuminated and decorated from behind, making the game balls appear as silhouettes and making their movement easier to see.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"A front plate facing the extension portion at a distance that allows the game balls to flow down,
A second convex portion formed on the front plate and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
Equipped with
A second recess is provided on the rear side of the second protrusion, and a decorative member is provided on the rear side of the second recess, and the second recess is made untouchable by fingers.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "second convex portion" may have a similar shape to the convex portion provided on the extension portion, or it may have a different shape from the convex portion. Furthermore, the "second concave portion" may have a similar shape to the second convex portion, or it may have a different shape from the second convex portion.

Furthermore, examples of "decorative members" include "sheet-shaped decorative stickers with a specified decoration" and "plate-shaped decorative panels with a specified decoration."

According to the configuration of Means 3, the gaming machine is equipped with a front plate facing the extension portion at a distance that allows gaming balls to flow down, and a second convex portion formed on the front plate that affects the speed at which the gaming balls flow down. A second concave portion is provided on the back side of the second convex portion, and a decorative member is provided on the back side of the second concave portion, and the second concave portion is untouchable by fingers (see the descriptions regarding the front plate 2571, front plate convex portion 2594b, front plate concave portion 2595b, and front decorative member 2572 in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, the extensions on the center role and front member are provided with convex portions and concave portions behind the convex portions. Furthermore, a front plate is provided in front of the extensions, with a second convex portion on the front plate and a second concave portion behind the second convex portion. Therefore, when viewed from the front, the shapes of the convex portion and concave portion, as well as the shapes of the second convex portion and second concave portion, are visible, and these shapes act as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect. In this case, the concave portion is made intangible by the specific member, and the second concave portion is made intangible by the decorative member. This prevents workers from touching and soiling the concave portion or second concave portion during the manufacturing of the gaming machine, improving the appearance and ensuring the decorative effect of the concave portion and second concave portion. Therefore, although the extension and front plate of the center gimmick and front member do not have the ostentatious decorations found in conventional gaming machines, the unprecedented decorations of the convex and concave portions, second convex and second concave portions, and decorative members are visible, making it possible for players to recognize that this gaming machine is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional gaming machines, providing a gaming machine with strong appeal that can strongly attract players' attention.

In addition, a convex portion is provided on the extension that forms the rear wall of the flow-down area where the gaming ball flows, and a second convex portion is provided on the front plate that forms the front wall of the flow-down area. This allows the gaming ball to swing back and forth using the convex portion and second convex portion, further slowing the flow-down speed of the gaming ball compared to when only a convex portion is provided, making the movement of the gaming ball easier to see. In this case, a concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, and a second concave portion is provided on the back side of the second convex portion, allowing for unprecedented decoration with the convex portion and concave portion, and the second convex portion and second concave portion. This decoration can decorate the rear and front of the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down area, making the gaming ball stand out. These features allow players to enjoy the movement of the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down area, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, because the front plate has a second recess on the back side of the second convex portion, the weight of the front plate can be reduced compared to when the second recess is not provided, allowing for lighter center devices and front members, as well as reducing the costs associated with the center devices and front members. Furthermore, because the center devices and front members can be made lighter, the reinforcement required in conventional gaming machines is no longer necessary, thereby reducing the cost of the gaming machine. Furthermore, because the recess is covered by a specific member to prevent it from being touched by fingers, and the second recess is covered by a decorative member to prevent it from being touched by fingers, workers' fingers will not come into contact with the recess or second recess during manufacturing, eliminating the need to work carefully to avoid contaminating the recess or second recess. This simplifies the work and reduces costs.

Furthermore, by providing a second recess on the rear side of the second convex portion on the front panel, it is possible to reflect decorative light on the surface of the second recess. This allows the light reflected by the second recess to illuminate and decorate the front of the flow area through which the gaming balls flow, and the lighting decoration of the second recess makes the gaming balls flowing down the flow area appear to sparkle. In this case, if decorative light is also reflected by the recess provided in the extension at the rear of the front panel, the reflected light from the second recess and the light reflected from the recess can illuminate and decorate the rear and front of the flow area through which the gaming balls flow. This allows the lighting decoration of the recess to make the gaming balls appear as silhouettes, while the lighting decoration of the second recess makes them appear to sparkle, allowing the lighting decoration to be enjoyed along with the movement of the gaming balls and preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"A gap is provided between the extension and the specific member."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 4, a gap is provided between the extension portion and the specific member (see the description of the specific member 2519 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

With this configuration, a gap is provided between the extension and the specific component. Therefore, if the specific component is decorative, the decoration of the specific component can be moved rearward relative to the decoration of the convex and concave components, creating a sense of depth and further enhancing the decorative effect. Furthermore, if the specific component is an LED board mounted with multiple LEDs, the LED board can be moved rearward from the extension, making the electronic components mounted on the LED board less visible, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the convex and concave components, and the gap between the extension and the specific component also makes it easier to dissipate heat from the multiple LEDs.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"A plurality of the protrusions are provided, and some of the protrusions have specific protrusions on the back side of which no recesses are provided."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, multiple convex portions are provided, some of which have specific convex portions on the back side that do not have concave portions (see the description of specific convex portion 2596 in the [Description of Embodiments]).

With this configuration, some of the multiple protrusions are specific protrusions that do not have a recess on the back side. In other words, protrusions with a recess on the back side and protrusions without a recess on the back side (specific protrusions) are mixed together. This means that the shapes seen from the front differ between protrusions with a recess on the back side and specific protrusions without a recess on the back side, allowing for variation in the decoration seen from the front compared to when only multiple protrusions with recesses on the back side are provided.

Furthermore, when decorative light is reflected in recesses, the decorative light cannot be reflected on the back side of specific convex parts in the same way as it can on recesses, so the form of the luminous decoration can be made different between the convex parts and the specific convex parts.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine equipped with unprecedented decorations that are lightweight while increasing their appeal to players.

[15-16c. Relationship between the solution of the 16th technical feature and embodiments]
The game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of the second embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment corresponds to the front member of the above-mentioned solution means, the door upper passage section 2416 of the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment, the attacca passage section 2517a, right edge passage section 2517b, exit passage section 2517g, and ball passage 2591 of the ball passage 2517 of the center role 2500 correspond to the flow-down area of the above-mentioned solution means, the base plate 2431 of the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment, the flange section 2511b of the center role and the rear plate section 2592 correspond to the extension section of the above-mentioned solution means, and the front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment and the front plate 2571 of the decorative body 2570 of the center role 2500 correspond to the front plate of the above-mentioned solution means, respectively.

In addition, the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center role piece 2500 in this embodiment corresponds to the peripheral wall portion of the above-mentioned solution; the convex portion 2594, rear plate convex portion 2594a, and front plate convex portion 2594b in this embodiment correspond to the convex portion of the above-mentioned solution; the front plate convex portion 2594b in this embodiment corresponds to the second convex portion of the above-mentioned solution; the concave portion 2595, rear plate concave portion 2595a, and front plate concave portion 2595b in this embodiment correspond to the concave portion of the above-mentioned solution; the front plate concave portion 2595b in this embodiment corresponds to the second concave portion of the above-mentioned solution; the attacca decorative base plate 2433, base plate cover 2434, specific member 2519, and rear decorative member 2573 in this embodiment correspond to the specific member of the above-mentioned solution; and the decorative member 2435 and front decorative member 2572 in this embodiment correspond to the decorative member of the above-mentioned solution.

[15-16d. Characteristic effects of the 16th technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a rear plate convex portion 2594a is provided on the flange portion 2511b (rear plate portion 2592) provided on the center device 2500 of the game board 5 of the second embodiment, and a rear plate concave portion 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a. Furthermore, a front plate 2571 is provided in front of the flange portion 2511b, and a front plate convex portion 2594b is provided on the front plate 2571, and a front plate concave portion 2595b is provided on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b. Therefore, when viewed from the front, the shapes of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the rear plate concave portion 2595a, as well as the shapes of the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b can be seen, and these shapes act as decorations, thereby further enhancing the decorative effect. In this case, because the specific member 2519 makes the rear plate recess 2595a untouchable, the fingers of an operator will not touch and get dirty in the rear plate recess 2595a during the manufacture of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), improving the appearance and ensuring the decorative effect of the rear plate recess 2595a. Therefore, even though the flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 of the center role device 2500 are not provided with ostentatious decorations like those of conventional pachinko machines, the unprecedented decorations of the rear plate protrusion 2594a and rear plate recess 2595a, and the front plate protrusion 2594b and front plate recess 2595b can be seen on the flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571, making it possible for a player to recognize that this is a pachinko machine 1 equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional pachinko machines, and a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can strongly attract the player's attention can be provided.

In addition, in the center device 2500, a rear plate convex portion 2594a is provided on the flange portion 2511b which forms the rear wall of the flow-down area (ball passage 2591) through which the game ball B flows down, and a front plate convex portion 2594b is provided on the front plate 2571 which forms the front wall of the flow-down area.Therefore, the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the front plate convex portion 2594b make it possible to swing the game ball B back and forth, and the flow-down speed of the game ball B can be further slowed down compared to when only convex portions are provided, making the movement of the game ball B easier to see. In this case, a rear plate recess 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and a front plate recess 2595b is provided on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b, so that the rear plate protrusion 2594a and rear plate recess 2595a, and the front plate protrusion 2594b and front plate recess 2595b, can create an unprecedented decoration, which can decorate the rear and front of the game ball B flowing down the flow area with this decoration, making the game ball B stand out. As a result, the player can enjoy the movement of the game ball B flowing down the flow area, and a decrease in interest in the game can be prevented.

Furthermore, in the center role device 2500, the flange portion 2511b has a rear plate recess 2595a on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and the front plate 2571 has a front plate recess 2595b on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b. This reduces the weight of the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b compared to when the recesses are not provided, thereby reducing the weight of the center role device 2500 and reducing the cost of the center role device 2500. Furthermore, since the center role device 2500 can be made lighter, reinforcement, which was required in conventional pachinko machines, becomes unnecessary, thereby suppressing the increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, because the rear plate recess 2595a is covered by the specific member 2519 so that it cannot be touched by the fingers of the worker during manufacturing, there is no need to work carefully to avoid contaminating the rear plate recess 2595a. This simplifies the work and suppresses the increase in costs.

Furthermore, the base plate 2431 (rear plate portion 2592) provided on the attacca unit 2400 of the gaming board 5 is provided with a rear plate convex portion 2594a, and a rear plate concave portion 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a.Furthermore, a front plate 2432 is provided in front of the base plate 2431, and a front plate convex portion 2594b is provided on the front plate 2432, and a front plate concave portion 2595b is provided on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b.Therefore, when viewed from the front, the shapes of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the rear plate concave portion 2595a, as well as the shapes of the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b, can be seen, and these shapes act as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect. In this case, the attacca decorative base plate 2433 makes the rear plate recess 2595a untouchable by fingers, and the decorative member 2435 makes the front plate recess 2595b untouchable by fingers, so when manufacturing the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), the worker's fingers will not touch and get dirty with the rear plate recess 2595a or front plate recess 2595b, improving the appearance and ensuring the decorative effect of the rear plate recess 2595a and front plate recess 2595b. Therefore, even though the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400 are not provided with ostentatious decorations like those found in conventional pachinko machines, the attacca unit 2400 features unprecedented decorations made up of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the front plate convex portion 2594b and front plate concave portion 2595b, as well as the decorative member 2435. This makes it possible for players to recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional pachinko machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting the player's attention.

In addition, in the attacca unit 2400, a rear plate convex portion 2594a is provided on the base plate 2431 which forms the rear wall of the flow-down area (door-above passage portion 2416) through which the game ball B flows down, and a front plate convex portion 2594b is provided on the front plate 2432 which forms the front wall of the flow-down area.Therefore, the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the front plate convex portion 2594b make it possible to swing the game ball B back and forth, which further slows down the flow-down speed of the game ball B compared to when only convex portions are provided, making it easier to see the movement of the game ball B. In this case, a rear plate recess 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and a front plate recess 2595b is provided on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b, so that the rear plate protrusion 2594a and rear plate recess 2595a, and the front plate protrusion 2594b and front plate recess 2595b, can create an unprecedented decoration, which can decorate the rear and front of the game ball B flowing down the flow area with this decoration, making the game ball B stand out. As a result, the player can enjoy the movement of the game ball B flowing down the flow area, and a decrease in interest in the game can be prevented.

Furthermore, in the attacca unit 2400, the base plate 2431 has a rear plate recess 2595a on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and further, the front plate 2432 has a front plate recess 2595b on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b. Therefore, compared to when no recesses are provided in the base plate 2431, the weight can be reduced by the amount of the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b, thereby reducing the weight of the attacca unit 2400 and reducing the costs associated with the attacca unit 2400. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the attacca unit 2400, it is possible to eliminate the reinforcement required in conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, because the attacca decorative base plate 2433 and decorative member 2435 cover the rear panel recess 2595a and front panel recess 2595b so that they cannot be touched by fingers, workers' fingers will not come into contact with the rear panel recess 2595a or front panel recess 2595b during manufacturing, so there is no need to work carefully to avoid soiling the rear panel recess 2595a, making the work easier and reducing costs.

Furthermore, a gap is provided between the base plate 2431 of the attacca unit 2400 and the attacca decorative board 2433. This allows the attacca decorative board 2433 to move rearward away from the base plate 2431, making it difficult to see the electronic components mounted on the attacca decorative board 2433, such as LEDs and resistors. This makes it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the convex portion 2594 and concave portion 2595, and the gap between the base plate 2431 and the attacca decorative board 2433 also makes it easier to dissipate heat from the multiple LEDs.

[15-17. 17th Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-17a. Background of the 17th technical feature]
In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, large decorative elements have been proposed to enhance the appeal of the machine to players, making it easier for players to select the machine as their preferred gaming machine (Patent Document A17: JP 2016-154728 A). However, in conventional gaming machines such as those described in Patent Document A17, the large decorative elements create a strong initial impact, and some players may quickly become accustomed to them, making it difficult for them to select the machine as their preferred gaming machine. In addition, large decorative elements increase manufacturing costs and are heavy, requiring reinforcement to accommodate the decorative elements, which increases the cost of the gaming machine.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine equipped with unprecedented decorations that are lightweight while increasing appeal to players.

[15-17b. Solution of the 17th technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game board has an opening extending from front to back,
The opening is provided with a center accessory,
The center feature is
A peripheral wall portion extending forward from the game board and preventing game balls from entering inside the opening;
An extension portion that extends outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view and has a flow-down area on the front side through which game balls flow down;
A convex portion formed on the extension portion and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
and
A recess is provided on the rear side of the protrusion, and the recess has a shape that is approximately similar to the shape of the protrusion.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of cross-sectional shapes of the side include "semicircular," "triangular," "trapezoidal," "quadrilateral," "polygonal such as pentagonal or hexagonal," and "irregular shapes based on free curves."

According to the configuration of Means 1, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls flow. The gaming board has an opening that penetrates from front to back, and the opening is equipped with a center device. The center device has a peripheral wall that extends forward of the gaming board and prevents gaming balls from entering the opening, an extension that extends outward from the peripheral wall in a front view and has a flow-down area on the front side through which gaming balls flow, and a protrusion formed on the extension that affects the flow-down speed of the gaming balls. A recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and the concave shape of the recess is approximately similar to the convex shape of the protrusion (see the description of the rear plate protrusion 2594a and rear plate recess 2595a of the center device 2500 in Chapter 11-8e. Passage Decorative Part, Figure 138, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, which affects the flow speed of the game balls, in the extension that forms the flow area of the center device. The concave shape of the recess is approximately similar to the protruding shape of the protrusion. Therefore, when viewed from the front, compared to when only a protrusion is provided, the shape of the protrusion and the similar shape of the recess overlap, making the protrusion appear double. Furthermore, because the protrusion and recess are separated in the front-to-back direction, as the player's eyes move, the degree of misalignment between the overlapping shapes of the protrusion and recess changes, making the decoration made up of the protrusion and recess appear to be moving. Therefore, even though the extension of the center device does not have the ostentatious decorations of conventional gaming machines, the unprecedented dynamic decoration made up of the protrusion and recess can be seen, making it possible for players to recognize this gaming machine as having decorations that are completely different from those of conventional gaming machines, resulting in a gaming machine with high appeal that can strongly attract players' attention.

In addition, because the shape of the recess in the extension of the center device is roughly similar to the shape of the protrusion, the thickness from the surface of the protrusion to the surface of the recess is roughly constant. Therefore, when an impact is applied to the protrusion due to a game ball hitting it, the impact is prevented from concentrating in one area, making the protrusion (extension) less likely to be damaged. Furthermore, because the thickness between the protrusion and recess is roughly constant, sink marks in the resin can be reduced when molding the center device, resulting in a center device with less distortion, and a center device that is close to the player and stands out can be made with less distortion and a good appearance.

In addition, because a convex portion is provided in the flow-down area where the gaming ball flows, the convex portion can slow down the speed at which the gaming ball flows down in the flow-down area, making the movement of the gaming ball easier to see. In this case, a concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, allowing the convex portion and concave portion to create a decoration that has never been seen before, and this decoration can decorate the back of the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down area, making the gaming ball stand out. As a result, players can enjoy the movement of the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down area, and it is possible to prevent a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the backside of the convex portion, the weight of the center device can be reduced compared to when no recess is provided, resulting in a lighter weight and reduced costs for the center device. Furthermore, because the center device can be made lighter, it is no longer necessary to reinforce it, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and costs associated with the gaming machine can be reduced. Furthermore, because the recess is covered with a specific material so that it cannot be touched by fingers, workers' fingers will not come into contact with the recess during manufacturing, so there is no need to work carefully to avoid dirtying the recess. This simplifies the work and reduces costs.

Means 2: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game board has an opening extending from front to back,
The opening is provided with a center accessory,
The center feature is
A peripheral wall portion extending forward from the game board and preventing game balls from entering inside the opening;
a flange portion extending outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view;
Equipped with
A front member is provided which is a member different from the center role and is fixed to the game board,
The front member is
An extension portion extending along the game board and having a flow-down area on the front side through which game balls flow down;
A convex portion formed on the extension portion and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
and
A recess is provided on the rear side of the protrusion, and the recess has a shape that is approximately similar to the shape of the protrusion.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "front component" include "one that has at least a large prize opening (e.g., an attacca unit)", "one that has at least a special prize opening (e.g., a special prize opening unit)", "one that has at least a start prize opening (e.g., a start opening unit)", "one that has at least a gate (e.g., a gate unit)", "one that has at least a general prize opening or a regular prize opening (e.g., a prize opening unit)", etc.

Furthermore, the "convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of the cross-sectional shape of the side include "semicircular," "triangular," "trapezoidal," "quadrilateral," "polygonal such as pentagonal or hexagonal," and "irregular shape with a free curve."

According to the configuration of means 2, the gaming machine is provided with a gaming board having a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls flow, the gaming board has an opening penetrating from front to back, the opening has a center device in it, the center device extends forward of the gaming board and has a peripheral wall portion that prevents gaming balls from entering the opening inside, and a flange portion that extends outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view, and a front member that is a member different from the center device and is fixed to the gaming board, the front member has an extension portion that extends along the gaming board and has a flow-down area on the front side through which gaming balls flow, and a protrusion formed on the extension portion that affects the flow-down speed of the gaming balls, a recessed portion is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and the concave shape of the recessed portion is approximately similar to the convex shape of the protrusion (see the description of the rear plate protrusion 2594a and rear plate recessed portion 2595a of the attacca unit 2400 in chapter [11-8e. Passage decorative portion], Figure 138, etc. in [Form for implementing the invention]).

With this configuration, a recess is provided on the rear side of a protrusion that affects the ball flow speed in the extension portion of the front member, which is different from the center role device. The concave shape of the recess is roughly similar to the protruding shape of the protrusion. Therefore, when viewed from the front, the shape of the protrusion and the similar shape of the recess overlap, creating a double appearance of the protrusion, compared to when only a protrusion is provided. Furthermore, because the protrusion and recess are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction, as the player's eyes move, the degree of misalignment between the overlapping shapes of the protrusion and recess changes, making the decoration made up of the protrusion and recess appear to be moving. Therefore, even though the extension portion of the front member does not have the ostentatious decorations found in conventional gaming machines, the unprecedented dynamic decoration made up of the protrusion and recess can be seen, making it possible for players to recognize this gaming machine as having decorations that are completely different from those of conventional gaming machines, resulting in a gaming machine with high appeal that can strongly attract players' attention.

In addition, because the shape of the recess in the extension of the front component is roughly similar to the shape of the protrusion, the thickness from the surface of the protrusion to the surface of the recess is roughly constant. Therefore, when an impact is applied to the protrusion due to a game ball hitting it, the impact is prevented from concentrating in one area, making the protrusion (extension) less likely to be damaged. Furthermore, because the thickness between the protrusion and recess is roughly constant, sink marks in the resin can be reduced when molding the front component, resulting in a product with less distortion and a better appearance.

In addition, because a convex portion is provided in the flow-down area where the gaming ball flows, the convex portion can slow down the speed at which the gaming ball flows down in the flow-down area, making the movement of the gaming ball easier to see. In this case, a concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, allowing the convex portion and concave portion to create a decoration that has never been seen before, and this decoration can decorate the back of the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down area, making the gaming ball stand out. As a result, players can enjoy the movement of the gaming ball flowing down the flow-down area, and it is possible to prevent a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the back side of the convex portion, the weight of the front member can be reduced compared to when no recess is provided, resulting in a lighter weight and reduced costs for the front member. Furthermore, because the front member can be made lighter, it is possible to eliminate the reinforcement required in conventional gaming machines, thereby suppressing increases in the costs of the gaming machine. Furthermore, because the recess is covered with a specific member so that it cannot be touched by fingers, workers' fingers will not come into contact with the recess during manufacturing, so there is no need to work carefully to avoid dirtying the recess. This simplifies the work and suppresses increases in costs.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"A front plate facing the extension portion at a distance that allows the game balls to flow down,
A second convex portion formed on the front plate and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
Equipped with
A second recess is provided on the rear side of the second protrusion, and the recess has a shape that is substantially similar to the shape of the second protrusion.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "second convex portion" may have a similar shape to the convex portion provided on the extension portion, or it may have a different shape from the convex portion.

According to the configuration of means 3, the gaming machine is equipped with a front plate facing the extension portion at a distance allowing gaming balls to flow down, and a second convex portion formed on the front plate that affects the speed at which the gaming balls flow down.A second concave portion is provided on the back side of the second convex portion, and the concave shape of the second concave portion is approximately similar to the convex shape of the second convex portion (see the descriptions regarding front plate 2571, front plate convex portion 2594b, and front plate concave portion 2595b in the [Description of the Invention]).

According to this configuration, the extensions on the center role and front member are provided with convex portions and concave portions behind the convex portions. Furthermore, a front plate is provided in front of the extensions, with a second convex portion on the front plate and a second concave portion behind the second convex portion. The concave shape of the concave portion is generally similar to the convex shape of the convex portion, and the concave shape of the second concave portion is generally similar to the convex shape of the second convex portion. Therefore, when viewed from the front, the convex portion appears double due to the overlapping of the similar concave shape with the convex portion, and the second convex portion appears double due to the overlapping of the similar second concave shape with the second convex portion. Furthermore, because the convex portion and the concave portion, and the second convex portion and the second concave portion, are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction, as the player's eyes move, the degree of misalignment between the overlapping shapes of the convex portion and the concave portion, and the degree of misalignment between the overlapping shapes of the second convex portion and the second concave portion, respectively, change, causing the decoration formed by the convex portion and the concave portion, and the second convex portion and the second concave portion, to appear to be moving. Therefore, although the center gimmick, the extension of the front member, and the front plate are not equipped with ostentatious decorations like those found in conventional gaming machines, the unprecedented dynamic decorations created by the convex and concave portions, as well as the second convex and second concave portions, are visible, making it possible for players to recognize that this gaming machine is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional gaming machines, providing a highly appealing gaming machine that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, the shape of the second recess in the front plate located in front of the extension of the center gimmick or front member is roughly similar to the shape of the second convex portion, so the thickness from the surface of the second convex portion to the surface of the second recess is roughly constant. Therefore, when an impact is applied to the second convex portion due to a game ball hitting it, the impact is prevented from concentrating in one area, making the second convex portion (front plate) less likely to be damaged. Furthermore, because the thickness between the second convex portion and the second recess is roughly constant, sink marks in the resin can be reduced when molding the front plate, allowing for a front plate that is close to the player and stands out to the eye, with less distortion and a better appearance.

Furthermore, because the front plate has a second recess on the back side of the second convex portion, the weight of the front plate can be reduced compared to when the second recess is not provided, allowing for lighter center devices and front members, as well as reducing the costs associated with the center devices and front members. Furthermore, because the center devices and front members can be made lighter, the reinforcement required in conventional gaming machines is no longer necessary, thereby reducing the cost of the gaming machine. Furthermore, because the recess is covered by a specific member to prevent it from being touched by fingers, and the second recess is covered by a decorative member to prevent it from being touched by fingers, workers' fingers will not come into contact with the recess or second recess during manufacturing, eliminating the need to work carefully to avoid contaminating the recess or second recess. This simplifies the work and reduces costs.

In addition, the center device and front member have a convex portion on the extension that forms the rear wall of the flow-down area where the game balls flow, and a second convex portion on the front plate that forms the front wall of the flow-down area. This allows the game balls to swing back and forth using the convex portion and second convex portion, further slowing the flow-down speed of the game balls compared to when only a convex portion is provided, making the movement of the game balls easier to see. In this case, a concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, and a second concave portion is provided on the back side of the second convex portion, allowing for unprecedented decoration with the convex portion and concave portion, and the second convex portion and second concave portion. This decoration can decorate the front and rear of the game balls flowing down the flow-down area, making the game balls stand out. These features allow players to enjoy the movement of the game balls flowing down the flow-down area, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"A plurality of the protrusions are provided, and some of the protrusions have specific protrusions on the back side where the recesses are not provided."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 4, multiple convex portions are provided, some of which have specific convex portions on the back side that do not have concave portions (see the description of specific convex portion 2596 in the [Description of Embodiments]).

With this configuration, some of the multiple protrusions are specific protrusions that do not have a recess on the back side. In other words, protrusions with a recess on the back side and protrusions without a recess on the back side (specific protrusions) are mixed together. This means that the shapes seen from the front differ between protrusions with a recess on the back side and specific protrusions without a recess on the back side, allowing for variation in the decoration seen from the front compared to when only multiple protrusions with recesses on the back side are provided.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The recesses are capable of reflecting decorative light on their surfaces."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the recessed portion is capable of reflecting decorative light on its surface (see the description of the rear panel recessed portion 2595a in the "Description of the Invention").

With this configuration, decorative light can be reflected from the surfaces of the recesses on the extension of the center role device and front member, allowing the light reflected from the recesses to illuminate and decorate the flow area through which the game balls flow. Therefore, the extension of the center role device and front member features unprecedented dynamic decorations made up of protrusions and recesses, and the recesses are illuminated and decorated, making it possible for players to recognize that this gaming machine is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of previous gaming machines, resulting in a highly appealing gaming machine that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, the center gadget and front component have protrusions in the flow-down area that slow the speed at which the game balls flow down, making their movement easier to see. In this case, recesses are provided on the back side of the protrusions, and these recesses reflect decorative light to create an illuminating decoration. This illuminating decoration makes the game balls flowing down the flow-down area appear as silhouettes, making their movement even easier to see. These features allow players to enjoy the movement of the game balls flowing down the flow-down area, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine equipped with unprecedented decorations that are lightweight while increasing their appeal to players.

[15-17c. Relationship between the solution of the 17th technical feature and embodiments]
The game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of the second embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment corresponds to the front member of the above-mentioned solution means, the door upper passage section 2416 of the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment, the attacca passage section 2517a, right edge passage section 2517b, exit passage section 2517g, and ball passage 2591 of the ball passage 2517 of the center role 2500 correspond to the flow-down area of the above-mentioned solution means, the base plate 2431 of the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment, the flange section 2511b of the center role and the rear plate section 2592 correspond to the extension section of the above-mentioned solution means, and the front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment and the front plate 2571 of the decorative body 2570 of the center role 2500 correspond to the front plate of the above-mentioned solution means, respectively.

In addition, the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center role piece 2500 in this embodiment corresponds to the peripheral wall portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the convex portion 2594, rear plate convex portion 2594a, and front plate convex portion 2594b in this embodiment correspond to the convex portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the front plate convex portion 2594b in this embodiment corresponds to the second convex portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the concave portion 2595, rear plate concave portion 2595a, and front plate concave portion 2595b in this embodiment correspond to the concave portion of the above-mentioned solution means, and the front plate concave portion 2595b in this embodiment corresponds to the second concave portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-17d. Characteristic effects of the 17th technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the flange portion 2511b provided in the center role device 2500 of the game board 5 of the second embodiment is provided with a rear plate convex portion 2594a, and a rear plate concave portion 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a. Furthermore, a front plate 2571 is provided in front of the flange portion 2511b, and a front plate convex portion 2594b is provided on the front plate 2571, and a front plate concave portion 2595b is provided on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b. The concave shape of a is approximately similar to the protruding shape of rear plate convex portion 2595a, and the concave shape of front plate concave portion 2595b is approximately similar to the protruding shape of front plate convex portion 2595b.Therefore, when viewed from the front, the shape of rear plate convex portion 2594a overlaps with the similar shape of rear plate concave portion 2595a, making rear plate convex portion 2594a appear double, and the shape of front plate convex portion 2594b overlaps with the similar shape of front plate concave portion 2595b, making front plate convex portion 2594b appear double. Furthermore, because the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b are each separated in the front-to-back direction, when the player's eyes move, the degree of misalignment between the overlapping shapes of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the degree of misalignment between the overlapping shapes of the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b, respectively, changes, making the decoration formed by the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b appear to be moving. Therefore, although the flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 of the center device 2500 are not provided with ostentatious decorations like those of conventional pachinko machines, the rear plate convex portion 2594a and rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the front plate convex portion 2594b and front plate concave portion 2595b, create an unprecedented dynamic decoration that makes it possible for players to recognize that this is a pachinko machine 1 that is provided with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional pachinko machines, and it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing and can strongly attract the player's attention.

In addition, the shapes of the rear plate recess 2595a and front plate recess 2595b in the flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 of the center role device 2500 are made approximately similar to the shapes of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and front plate convex portion 2594b, so the thickness from the surface of the rear plate convex portion 2594a or front plate convex portion 2594b to the surface of the rear plate concave portion 2595a or front plate concave portion 2595b is approximately constant.Therefore, when an impact is applied to the rear plate convex portion 2594a or front plate convex portion 2594b due to contact with the game ball B, the impact can be prevented from being concentrated in one area, making it less likely for the rear plate convex portion 2594a or front plate convex portion 2594b (flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571) to be damaged. Furthermore, because the thickness between the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the front plate convex portion 2594b and the rear plate concave portion 2595a and the front plate concave portion 2595b is approximately constant, sink marks in the resin can be reduced when molding the center role device 2500 and the front plate 2571, resulting in a center role device 2500 and a front plate 2571 with less distortion, and the center role device 2500 and the front plate 2571, which are close to the player and therefore noticeable, can be made to look good with less distortion.

Furthermore, in the center role device 2500, the flange portion 2511b has a rear plate recess 2595a on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and further, the front plate 2571 has a front plate recess 2595b on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b. Therefore, compared to when no recesses are provided in the respective parts, the weight can be reduced by the amount of the rear plate recess 2595a and front plate recess 2595b, making it possible to reduce the weight of the center role device 2500 and also reduce the cost of the center role device 2500. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the center role device 2500, it is possible to eliminate the reinforcement that was required in conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the base plate 2431 provided in the attacca unit 2400 is provided with a rear plate convex portion 2594a, and a rear plate concave portion 2595a is provided on the back side of the rear plate convex portion 2594a. Furthermore, a front plate 2432 is provided in front of the base plate 2431, and a front plate convex portion 2594b is provided on the front plate 2432, and a front plate concave portion 2595b is provided on the back side of the front plate convex portion 2594b. The concave shape of the rear plate concave portion 2595a is The shape of the rear plate convex portion 2594a is approximately similar to the protruding shape, and the concave shape of the front plate concave portion 2595b is approximately similar to the protruding shape of the front plate convex portion 2595b.Therefore, when viewed from the front, the shape of the rear plate convex portion 2594a overlaps with the similar shape of the rear plate concave portion 2595a, making the rear plate convex portion 2594a appear double, and the shape of the front plate convex portion 2594b overlaps with the similar shape of the front plate concave portion 2595b, making the front plate convex portion 2594b appear double. Furthermore, because the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b are each separated in the front-to-back direction, when the player's eyes move, the degree of misalignment between the overlapping shapes of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the degree of misalignment between the overlapping shapes of the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b, respectively, changes, making the decoration formed by the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the front plate convex portion 2594b and the front plate concave portion 2595b appear to be moving. Therefore, although the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400 are not provided with ostentatious decorations like those found on conventional pachinko machines, the rear plate convex portion 2594a and rear plate concave portion 2595a, and the front plate convex portion 2594b and front plate concave portion 2595b create a dynamic decoration that has never been seen before, making it possible for players to recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of conventional pachinko machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, in the base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 of the attacca unit 2400, the shapes of the rear plate recess 2595a and front plate recess 2595b are made approximately similar to the shapes of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and front plate convex portion 2594b, so the thickness from the surface of the rear plate convex portion 2594a or front plate convex portion 2594b to the surface of the rear plate recess 2595a or front plate recess 2595b is approximately constant.Therefore, when an impact is applied to the rear plate convex portion 2594a or front plate convex portion 2594b due to contact with the game ball B, the impact can be prevented from being concentrated in one area, making it less likely for the rear plate convex portion 2594a or front plate convex portion 2594b (base plate 2431 or front plate 2432) to be damaged. Furthermore, because the thickness between the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the front plate convex portion 2594b and the rear plate concave portion 2595a and the front plate concave portion 2595b is approximately constant, sink marks in the resin can be reduced when molding the base plate 2431 and the front plate 2432, resulting in base plate 2431 and front plate 2432 with less distortion, and base plate 2431 and front plate 2432, which are close to the player and therefore noticeable, can be made to look good with less distortion.

Furthermore, in the attacca unit 2400, the base plate 2431 has a rear plate recess 2595a on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and further, the front plate 2432 has a front plate recess 2595b on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b. Therefore, compared to when no recesses are provided in the base plate 2431, the weight can be reduced by the amount of the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b, thereby reducing the weight of the attacca unit 2400 and reducing the costs associated with the attacca unit 2400. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the attacca unit 2400, it is possible to eliminate the reinforcement required in conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, decorative light can be reflected on the surface of the rear plate recess 2595a provided on the flange 2511b of the center role device 2500 and the attacca unit 2400 and the base plate 2431, so the light reflected on the rear plate recess 2595a can illuminate and decorate the flow area through which the game ball B flows. Therefore, the rear plate protrusion 2594a and rear plate recess 2595a create an unprecedented dynamic decoration on the flange 2511b and base plate 2431 of the center role device 2500 and the attacca unit 2400, and the rear plate recess 2595a also illuminates and decorates, making it possible for players to recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of previous pachinko machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

[15-18. 18th Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-18a. Background of the 18th technical feature]
Gaming machines such as pachinko machines are known that include a prize-winning device such as an attacca unit with a movable piece that moves between an easy-to-win state, in which a game ball easily wins a prize in a prize slot, and an impossible-to-win state, in which a prize cannot be won (Patent Document A18: JP 2017-118989 A). The technology in Patent Document A18 provides an LED board behind the prize slot, and the light-emitting behavior of the LEDs on the LED board entertains the player. However, with conventional technology such as Patent Document A18, because the LEDs simply light up, some players may quickly tire of looking at them, lose interest in the prize slot, and lose interest in the game.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can attract players' attention to the winning slots, thereby entertaining them and preventing a decline in interest.

[15-18b. Solution of the 18th technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game area is provided with a prize-winning device that awards a prize to a player when a game ball wins,
The winning device is
a movable piece that switches the state of the winning opening into which the game ball can enter between an easy-to-enter state and an impossible-to-enter state;
A convex portion that changes the flow direction of the game ball;
Equipped with
A recess is provided on the rear side of the protrusion, and the surface of the recess can reflect decorative light.
It is characterized by being something that

Here, examples of "winning slots" include "starting winning slots (second starting slots) from which a small number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters and a lottery for special symbols is held," "large winning slots from which a large number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters," and "gimmick winning slots from which a predetermined number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters and which can supply winning game balls to a V winning slot or a losing slot."

Further examples of "winning devices" include "attacker units that have a large winning port as a winning port, and a movable piece that moves to open and close the large winning port depending on the result of a lottery for a special symbol drawn when a gaming ball starts to win," "tricky winning devices that have a special winning port as a winning port, and a movable piece that moves to open and close the special winning port depending on the result of a lottery for a special symbol drawn when a gaming ball starts to win," and "starting port units that have a second starting port as a winning port, and a movable piece that moves to open and close the second starting port depending on the result of a lottery for a normal symbol drawn when a gaming ball passes through a gate or wins normally."

Furthermore, the "convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of the cross-sectional shape of the side include "semicircular," "triangular," "trapezoidal," "quadrilateral," "polygonal such as pentagonal or hexagonal," and "irregular shape with a free curve."

The "recess" may be a recess, and examples include a "shape similar to the shape of the protrusion" and a "shape different from the shape of the protrusion." It is also desirable for the "recess" to have a curved surface or multiple flat surfaces with different angles, which makes it possible to reflect light in various directions.

Furthermore, examples of "convex and concave portions" include "those provided on an extending portion (e.g., flange portion, base plate, etc.) extending along the front surface of the gaming board," "those provided on a front plate that is positioned in front of the gaming board and forms a space between it and the gaming board through which gaming balls can pass," and "those provided on both an extending portion (e.g., flange portion, base plate, etc.) extending along the front surface of the gaming board and a front plate that is positioned in front of the extending portion and forms a space between it and the extending portion through which gaming balls can pass."

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls circulate. The gaming area is equipped with a prize-winning device that awards a prize to a player when a gaming ball wins. The prize-winning device has a movable piece that switches the state of the prize opening through which the gaming ball can win between an easy-to-win state and an impossible-to-win state, and a convex portion that changes the direction in which the gaming ball flows downward. A concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, and the surface of the concave portion can reflect decorative light (see the description of the attacca unit 2400, Figure 139, etc. in Chapter 11-8e. Passage Decorative Section in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, in a prize-winning device that awards a prize when a game ball wins, decorative light can be reflected by a concave portion on the back side of a convex portion that changes the direction of the game ball's flow, allowing the reflected light to illuminate and decorate the area of the prize-winning device where the game ball flows. Because this illumination decoration is light reflected by a concave portion, it can be completely different from conventional illumination decorations that use direct light from LEDs, and can draw the player's attention to the prize-winning device and, ultimately, the prize opening. Furthermore, because the convex portion with a concave portion on the back side can change the direction of the game ball's flow, it can direct the game ball's flow toward the prize opening (movable piece) or slow down the game ball's flow speed near the prize opening (movable piece). As a result, the reflected light from the recess strongly draws the player's attention to the winning opening, and by focusing on the winning opening, the player can create a sense of suspense as to whether the game ball will enter the winning opening when the movable piece moves to place it in a winning-friendly state, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, because a recess is provided on the back side of the convex portion, when viewed from the front, the shape of the convex portion and the recessed portion create a complex shape compared to when only a convex portion is provided, and this shape acts as decoration, improving the appearance of the prize-winning device.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the back side of the convex portion, the weight of the winning device can be reduced compared to when there is no recess, resulting in a lighter weight and reduced costs associated with the winning device. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the winning device, it is possible to eliminate the need for reinforcement, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and this helps to prevent increases in costs associated with the gaming machine.

Means 2: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game area has a prize slot that awards a prize to a player when a game ball wins;
A movable piece that switches the state of the winning port between an easy-to-win state and an impossible-to-win state;
A ball passage that communicates with the winning opening by the movement of the movable piece and through which game balls can flow;
A convex portion formed in the ball passage and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
Equipped with
A recess is provided on the rear side of the protrusion, and the surface of the recess can reflect decorative light.
It is characterized by being something that

Here, examples of "winning slots" include "starting winning slots (second starting slots) from which a small number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters and a lottery for special symbols is held," "large winning slots from which a large number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters," and "gimmick winning slots from which a predetermined number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters and which can supply winning game balls to a V winning slot or a losing slot."

Furthermore, examples of "ball passages" include "those provided in the center device provided in the opening of the game board" and "those provided in a front member different from the center device." Furthermore, the "ball passage" may be either upstream of the movable piece or downstream of the movable piece.

Furthermore, the "protrusion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of the cross-sectional shape of the side include "semicircular," "triangle," "trapezoid," "square," "polygonal such as pentagon or hexagon," and "irregular shape with a free curve."

The "recess" may be a recess, and examples include a "shape similar to the shape of the protrusion" and a "shape different from the shape of the protrusion." It is also desirable for the "recess" to have a curved surface or multiple flat surfaces with different angles, which makes it possible to reflect light in various directions.

Furthermore, examples of "convex portions and concave portions" include "those provided on the rear plate portion (e.g., flange portion, base plate, etc.) that forms the rear wall of the ball passage," "those provided on the front plate portion (e.g., front plate) that forms the front wall of the ball passage," and "those provided on both the rear plate portion (e.g., flange portion, base plate, etc.) that forms the rear wall of the ball passage and the front plate portion (e.g., front plate) that forms the front wall of the ball passage."

Means 2 is configured as a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls circulate. The gaming area includes a prize opening that awards a player a prize when a gaming ball wins, a movable piece that switches the state of the prize opening between an easy-to-win state and an impossible-to-win state, a ball passage that communicates with the prize opening by moving the movable piece and through which gaming balls can circulate, and a protrusion formed in the ball passage that affects the speed at which the gaming balls flow down. A recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, and decorative light can be reflected on the surface of the recess (see Chapter 11-8e. Passage Decorative Section, the description of the attacca passage section 2517a, Figure 137, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, in a ball passage that can communicate with a winning opening located in a game area through which game balls flow, decorative light can be reflected by a concave portion located on the back side of a convex portion that affects the flow speed of game balls, allowing the ball passage through which game balls flow to be illuminated and decorated using this reflected light. Because this illuminated decoration is light reflected by a concave portion, it can be displayed in a completely different way than conventional illumination using direct light from LEDs, drawing the player's attention to the ball passage and, ultimately, the winning opening. Furthermore, because the convex portion with a concave portion on the back side can affect the flow speed of game balls, it can slow down the flow speed of game balls flowing through the ball passage, making the game balls easier to see. As a result, the reflected light from the recess strongly draws the player's attention to the winning opening, and by focusing on the winning opening, the player can create a sense of suspense as to whether the game ball will enter the winning opening when the movable piece moves to place it in a winning-friendly state, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, because a recess is provided on the back side of the convex portion, when viewed from the front, the shape of the convex portion and the shape of the recess appear more complex than when only a convex portion is provided. This shape acts as decoration, improving the appearance of the component in which the ball passage is installed.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the back side of the convex portion, the weight of the component in which the ball passage is provided can be reduced compared to when no recess is provided, resulting in weight savings and a reduction in the cost of the component in which the ball passage is provided. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the component in which the ball passage is provided, it is possible to eliminate the need for reinforcement, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and this helps to prevent increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"A decorative member is provided on the back side of the convex portion, and the decorative member makes the concave portion untouchable by fingers."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "decorative member" refers to a "sheet-shaped decorative sticker with a predetermined decoration," "plate-shaped decorative panel with a predetermined decoration," "decorative sheet or decorative cell with a predetermined decoration," "decorative body with a three-dimensional decoration," etc.

Furthermore, "inaccessible to fingers" means that the recesses cannot be touched by the fingers of a worker or other such person, and examples include "those in which the back side of the convex portion and the decorative member are in contact with each other with no gap between them," "those in which a gap is provided between the back side of the convex portion and the decorative member but a finger cannot fit in (those in which a gap is provided that is too large for a finger to fit in)," and "those in which a gap large enough for a finger to fit in is provided between the back side of the convex portion and the decorative member, but the outer periphery is surrounded by a decorative member or other member so that a finger cannot fit in the gap."

However, when a recess is provided on the backside of a protrusion, if the inside of the recess becomes dirty when a worker's fingers touch the inside of the recess during manufacturing, the gaming machine's appearance will be poor. Furthermore, if the inside of the recess becomes dirty, it takes time to wipe off the dirt due to its recessed shape, so careful work is required to prevent the recess from becoming dirty, which can unnecessarily lengthen the work time and increase costs.

According to the configuration of means 3, the gaming machine is provided with a decorative member on the backside of the convex portion, which makes the concave portion untouchable (see the description of decorative member 2435 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

With this configuration, decorative light can be reflected by recesses located behind convex portions that change the direction and speed of game balls in the prize-winning device that awards prizes when game balls win, and in the ball passage that can communicate with the prize openings located in the game area through which game balls flow. This reflected light can illuminate and decorate the area through which game balls flow in the prize-winning device and the ball passage. Because this illumination decoration is light reflected by the recesses, it can be displayed in a completely different way than conventional illumination using direct light from LEDs, drawing players' attention to the prize-winning device, the ball passage, and ultimately the prize openings. In this case, the decorative member makes the recesses inaccessible to fingers, preventing workers' fingers from touching and getting dirty during the manufacturing of the gaming machine. The decorative light can be effectively reflected by the recesses, ensuring the decorative effect of the illumination decoration. Furthermore, the convex portion with a concave portion on the back side can change the direction in which the gaming ball flows and affect its speed, making it possible to direct the gaming ball's flow toward the winning opening (movable piece) or slow down the speed at which the gaming ball flows near the winning opening (movable piece). As a result, the reflected light from the concave portion can strongly attract the player's attention to the winning opening, and by having the player focus on the winning opening, they can create a sense of suspense as to whether the gaming ball will win when the winning opening is put into a winning state due to the movement of the movable piece, thereby entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition to the decoration created by the shapes of the convex and concave portions, the decoration is also created by decorative members, which improves the appearance of the winning device and the components on which the ball path is installed.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The game board further includes an extension extending parallel to the game board, and the protrusion and the recess are provided on the extension."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "extending portion" refers to "a rear plate portion (e.g., a flange portion, base plate, etc.) extending along the front surface of the gaming board," "a front plate portion (e.g., a front plate) positioned in front of the gaming board and forming a space between it and the gaming board through which gaming balls can pass," "both a rear plate portion (e.g., a flange portion, base plate, etc.) extending along the front surface of the gaming board and a front plate portion (e.g., a front plate) positioned in front of the rear plate portion and forming a space between it and the rear plate portion through which gaming balls can pass," etc.

According to the configuration of means 4, the gaming machine further comprises an extension extending parallel to the gaming board, and the extension is provided with a convex portion and a concave portion (see the description of the rear plate portion 2592 and the front plate portion 2593 in the [Description of the Invention]).

According to this configuration, if the extension portion on which the protrusions and recesses are provided is a rear plate portion (flange portion or base plate) provided along the gaming board, the protrusions and recesses will be provided behind the circulating gaming balls, and the recesses will reflect decorative light and become luminous, strongly drawing the player's attention to the winning opening while the luminous decoration makes the gaming balls circulating in front appear as silhouettes, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. On the other hand, if the extension portion on which the protrusions and recesses are provided is a front plate portion (front board) provided along the gaming board, the protrusions and recesses will be provided in front of the circulating gaming balls, and the recesses will reflect decorative light and become luminous, making the gaming balls appear to sparkle due to the reflected light from the recesses provided in front of the circulating gaming balls, strongly drawing the player's attention to the winning opening. Furthermore, if the extensions on which the convex and concave portions are provided are on both the rear plate portion that extends along the front of the gaming board and the front plate portion that is positioned in front of the rear plate portion and forms a space between the rear plate portion and the extensions on which the gaming balls can circulate, the convex and concave portions will be provided in front of and behind the circulating gaming balls. This makes it possible for the luminous decoration of the concave portions on the rear plate portion to make the gaming balls appear as silhouettes, while the luminous decoration of the concave portions on the front plate portion makes them appear to sparkle, strongly drawing the player's attention to the winning slot and allowing them to enjoy the movement of the gaming balls, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, if the extensions on which the convex and concave portions are provided are both a rear plate portion extending along the front of the gaming board, and a front plate portion positioned in front of the rear plate portion and forming a space between them through which gaming balls can flow, and the convex portions on the rear plate portion and the convex portions on the front plate portion are arranged alternately (staggered) in the direction of the flow of gaming balls, then, as described above, the luminous decoration of the concave portions can strongly draw the player's attention to the winning opening, and the flow speed of the gaming balls near the winning opening can be significantly slowed, making it possible, for example, to lengthen the retention time of the gaming balls on the movable piece. This creates a sense of suspense as to whether the gaming ball will win when the winning opening is placed in a state where it is easy to win due to the movement of the movable piece, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 4,
"A plurality of the protrusions are provided, and some of the protrusions have specific protrusions on the back side of which no recesses are provided."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, multiple convex portions are provided, some of which have specific convex portions on the back side that do not have concave portions (see the description of specific convex portion 2596 in the [Description of Embodiments]).

With this configuration, some of the multiple protrusions are special protrusions that do not have a recess on the back side. In other words, there is a mixture of protrusions with a recess on the back side and protrusions (special protrusions) that do not have a recess on the back side. This means that the back side of the special protrusions cannot reflect decorative light like the recesses, making it possible to create different lighting patterns between the protrusions and the special protrusions.

In addition, since the shapes seen from the front differ between protrusions with recesses on the backside and specific protrusions without recesses on the backside, it is possible to create a more varied decoration seen from the front compared to when multiple protrusions with recesses on the backside are provided.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can attract the player's attention to the winning slots, thereby entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

[15-18c. Relationship between the solution of the 18th technical feature and embodiments]
The game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of the second embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the second starting opening 2004 and the large winning opening 2005 of this embodiment correspond to the winning openings of the above-mentioned solution means, the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment corresponds to the winning device of the above-mentioned solution means, the second starting opening door 2411 and the large winning opening door 2413 of this embodiment correspond to the movable pieces of the above-mentioned solution means, the door upper passage portion 2416 and the attacca passage portion 2517a of the center role device 2500 of this embodiment correspond to the ball passage of the above-mentioned solution means, the base plate 2431, front plate 2432, flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 of this embodiment correspond to the extension portion of the above-mentioned solution means, and the attacca decorative base plate 2433, decorative member 2435 and front decorative portion 2572 of this embodiment correspond to the decorative member of the above-mentioned solution means.

Furthermore, the convex portion 2594, rear plate convex portion 2594a, and front plate convex portion 2594b in this embodiment correspond to the convex portion of the above-mentioned solution means, and the concave portion 2595, rear plate concave portion 2595a, and front plate concave portion 2595b in this embodiment correspond to the concave portion of the above-mentioned solution means, respectively.

[15-18d. Characteristic effects of the 18th technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the attacca unit 2400, which awards a bonus when game ball B wins, decorative light can be reflected by the rear plate recesses 2595a and front plate recesses 2595b provided on the backside of the rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b, which change the direction in which game ball B flows down, and this reflected light can illuminate and decorate the upper door passage 2416 through which game ball B flows down in the attacca unit 2400. Because this illuminated decoration is light reflected by the rear plate recesses 2595a and front plate recesses 2595b, it is possible to create an illuminated decoration that is completely different from conventional direct light from an LED, and it can draw the player's attention to the attacca unit 2400 and, ultimately, the large prize opening 2005. Furthermore, the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the front plate convex portion 2594b, which have the rear plate concave portion 2595a and the front plate concave portion 2595b on their back sides, can change the flow direction of the game ball B, thereby slowing down the flow speed of the game ball B near the large prize opening 2005 (large prize opening door 2413). As a result, the reflected light from the rear plate concave portion 2595a and the front plate concave portion 2595b can strongly attract the player's attention to the large prize opening 2005, and by the player paying attention to the large prize opening 2005, the player can be made to feel anxious and excited about whether or not the game ball B will win when the large prize opening door 2413 moves to put the large prize opening 2005 in an easy-to-win state, thereby entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the ball passage 2517 (attacca passage portion 2517a) through which the game ball B in the center role device 2500 flows and through which the large prize opening 2005 is located, decorative light can be reflected by the rear plate recesses 2595a and front plate recesses 2595b provided on the backside of the rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b, which affect the flow speed of the game ball B, and this reflected light can illuminate and decorate the attacca passage portion 2517a through which the game ball B flows. Because this illumination decoration is light reflected by the rear plate recesses 2595a and front plate recesses 2595b, it is possible to create an illumination decoration that is completely different from conventional illumination decorations that use direct light from LEDs, and it can draw the player's attention to the attacca passage portion 2517a and, ultimately, the large prize opening 2005. Furthermore, the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the front plate convex portion 2594b, which have a rear plate concave portion 2595a and a front plate concave portion 2595b on their back sides, can affect the flow speed of the game ball B, thereby slowing down the flow speed of the game ball B circulating through the attacca passage portion 2517a and making the game ball B circulating through the attacca passage portion 2517a easier to see. As a result, the reflected light from the rear plate concave portion 2595a and the front plate concave portion 2595b can strongly attract the player's attention to the large prize opening 2005, and by the player's attention being focused on the large prize opening 2005, the player can create a sense of suspense as to whether or not the game ball B will win when the large prize opening door 2413 moves and the large prize opening 2005 becomes ready for a win, thereby entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, in the attacca passage 2517a where the large prize opening 2005 of the attacca unit 2400 and the center role device 2500 is located, decorative light can be reflected by the rear plate recesses 2595a and front plate recesses 2595b located on the backside of the rear plate protrusions 2594a and front plate protrusions 2594b, which change the flow direction of the game ball B and affect its flow speed, and this reflected light can illuminate the door-top passage 2416 and the attacca passage 2517a of the attacca unit 2400. Because this illumination decoration is light reflected by the rear plate recesses 2595a and front plate recesses 2595b, it is possible to create an illumination decoration that is completely different from conventional illumination decorations that use direct light from LEDs, and it can draw the player's attention to the large prize opening 2005. At this time, because the decorative member 2435 or the like makes the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b untouchable, the fingers of an operator will not come into contact with and become dirty in the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b during the manufacture of the pachinko machine 1, and the decorative light can be reflected well in the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b, thereby reliably achieving the decorative effect of the luminous decoration. Furthermore, the rear plate protrusion 2594a and the front plate protrusion 2594b, which have the rear plate recess 2595a and the front plate recess 2595b on their back sides, can change the flow direction of the game ball B and affect the flow speed, making it possible to slow down the flow speed of the game ball B near the special prize opening 2005 (special prize opening door 2413). As a result, the reflected light from the rear panel recess 2595a and the front panel recess 2595b strongly draws the player's attention to the large prize opening 2005, and by focusing on the large prize opening 2005, the player can feel a sense of suspense as to whether or not game ball B will win when the large prize opening door 2413 moves and the large prize opening 2005 becomes in a state where it is easy to win, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition to the decoration provided by the shapes of the rear plate convex portion 2594a and the front plate convex portion 2594b and the rear plate concave portion 2595a and the front plate concave portion 2595b, decoration is also provided by the decorative member 2435, etc., thereby improving the appearance of the attacca unit 2400 and the component on which the attacca passage portion 2517a is provided.

Furthermore, convex portions 2594 and concave portions 2595 are provided on both rear plate portions 2592 such as base plate 2431 and flange portion 2511b that extend along the front surface of gaming panel 1100, and front plate portions 2593 such as front plate 2432 and front plate 2571 that are positioned in front of rear plate portion 2592 and form a space between rear plate portion 2592 and front plate 2571 through which gaming ball B can circulate. Since convex portions 2594 and concave portions 2595 are provided in front of and behind the circulating gaming ball B, the illuminating decoration of rear plate concave portion 2595a on rear plate portion 2592 makes gaming ball B appear as a silhouette, while the illuminating decoration of front plate concave portion 2595b on front plate portion 2593 makes it appear to sparkle, strongly drawing the player's attention to the big prize opening 2005 and allowing them to enjoy the movement of gaming ball B, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In addition, because the rear plate protrusions 2594a of the rear plate 2592 and the front plate protrusions 2594b of the front plate 2593 are arranged alternately (staggered) in the direction of flow of the game balls B, as described above, the illuminating decorations of the rear plate recesses 2595a and front plate recesses 2595b strongly attract the player's attention to the large prize opening 2005, and the flow speed of the game balls B can be significantly slowed near the large prize opening 2005, making it possible to lengthen the time that the game balls B remain on the large prize opening door 2413. This creates a sense of suspense as to whether or not the game balls B will win when the large prize opening door 2413 moves, putting the large prize opening 2005 in an easy-to-win state, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, in the attacca unit 2400, the base plate 2431 has a rear plate recess 2595a on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and the front plate 2432 has a front plate recess 2595b on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b. As a result, the weight can be reduced by the amount of the rear plate recess 2595a and front plate recess 2595b compared to when no recesses are provided, thereby reducing the weight of the attacca unit 2400 and reducing the costs associated with the attacca unit 2400. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the attacca unit 2400, it is possible to eliminate the reinforcement required in conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in the center role device 2500, the flange portion 2511b has a rear plate recess 2595a on the back side of the rear plate protrusion 2594a, and further, the front plate 2571 has a front plate recess 2595b on the back side of the front plate protrusion 2594b. Therefore, compared to when no recesses are provided in the respective parts, the weight can be reduced by the amount of the rear plate recess 2595a and front plate recess 2595b, making it possible to reduce the weight of the center role device 2500 and also reduce the cost of the center role device 2500. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the center role device 2500, it is possible to eliminate the reinforcement that was required in conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

[15-19. 19th Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-19a. Background of the 19th technical feature]
Gaming machines such as pachinko machines are known that include a prize-winning device such as an attacca unit with a movable piece that moves between an easy-to-win state, in which a game ball easily enters a prize slot, and an impossible-to-win state, in which a prize cannot be won (Patent Document A19: JP 2017-118989 A). The technology in Patent Document A19 provides an LED board behind the prize slot, and the light-emitting behavior of the LEDs on the LED board entertains the player. However, with conventional technology such as Patent Document A19, because the LEDs simply light up, some players may quickly tire of looking at them, lose interest in the prize slot, and lose interest in the game.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can attract players' attention to the winning slots, thereby entertaining them and preventing a decline in interest.

[15-19b. Solution of the 19th technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game area has a prize slot that awards a prize to a player when a game ball wins;
A movable piece that switches the state of the winning port between an easy-to-win state and an impossible-to-win state;
A convex portion formed upstream of the movable piece and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
Equipped with
A recess is provided on the rear side of the protrusion, and the surface of the recess can reflect decorative light.
It is characterized by being something that

Here, examples of "winning slots" include "starting winning slots (second starting slots) from which a small number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters and a lottery for special symbols is held," "large winning slots from which a large number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters," and "gimmick winning slots from which a predetermined number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters and which can supply winning game balls to a V winning slot or a losing slot."

Furthermore, the "convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of the cross-sectional shape of the side include "semicircular," "triangular," "trapezoidal," "quadrilateral," "polygonal such as pentagonal or hexagonal," and "irregular shape with a free curve."

The "recess" may be a recess, and examples include a "shape similar to the shape of the protrusion" and a "shape different from the shape of the protrusion." It is also desirable for the "recess" to have a curved surface or multiple flat surfaces with different angles, which makes it possible to reflect light in various directions.

Furthermore, examples of "convex portions and concave portions" include "those provided on a thin rear plate portion (e.g., flange portion, base plate, etc.) extending along the front surface of the gaming board," "those provided on a thin front plate portion (e.g., front plate) that is positioned in front of the gaming board and forms a space between it and the gaming board through which gaming balls can pass," and "those provided on both a thin rear plate portion (e.g., flange portion, base plate, etc.) extending along the front surface of the gaming board and a thin front plate portion (e.g., front plate) that is positioned in front of the rear plate portion and forms a space between it and the rear plate portion through which gaming balls can pass."

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls circulate. The gaming area includes a winning opening that awards a player with a winning ball, a movable piece that switches the state of the winning opening between an easy-to-win state and an impossible-to-win state, and a convex portion formed upstream of the movable piece that affects the speed at which the gaming balls flow down. A concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, and the surface of the concave portion can reflect decorative light (see chapter [11-8e. Passageway Decoration] in [Embodiment of the Invention], the passageway decoration portion 2590 of the attacca unit 2400, Figure 139, etc.).

According to this configuration, a convex portion that affects the flow speed of game balls is provided upstream of the movable piece that switches the winning port, located in the game area through which game balls flow, between an easy-to-win state and an unwinnable state. Furthermore, a concave portion that reflects decorative light is provided on the back side of the convex portion, allowing the decorative light to be reflected by the concave portion, thereby illuminating and decorating the area around the movable piece. Because this decorative illumination is light reflected by the concave portion, it creates an illumination effect that is completely different from the conventional direct light from an LED, drawing the player's attention to the movable piece and, ultimately, the winning port. Furthermore, the convex portion with a concave portion on its back side is located upstream of the movable piece and can affect the flow speed of game balls, thereby slowing down the flow speed of game balls and making game balls flowing toward the movable piece (winning port) easier to see. Furthermore, because the convex portion is located upstream of the movable piece, it is possible, for example, to increase the retention time of game balls on the movable piece. As a result, the reflected light from the recess strongly draws the player's attention to the winning opening, and by focusing on the winning opening, the player can create a sense of suspense as to whether the game ball will enter the winning opening when the movable piece moves to place it in a winning-friendly state, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, because a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, when viewed from the front, the shapes of the protrusion and recess appear more complex than when there is simply a protrusion, and this shape acts as decoration, improving the appearance of the component on which the protrusion and recess are provided.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, the weight of the component on which the protrusion and recess are provided can be reduced compared to when no recess is provided, resulting in a reduction in weight and a reduction in the cost of the component on which the protrusion and recess are provided. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the component on which the protrusion and recess are provided, it is possible to eliminate the need for reinforcement, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and it is possible to suppress increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

Means 2: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game area has a prize slot that awards a prize to a player when a game ball wins;
A movable piece that switches the state of the winning port between an easy-to-win state and an impossible-to-win state;
A convex portion formed downstream of the movable piece and affecting the flow speed of the game ball;
Equipped with
A recess is provided on the rear side of the protrusion, and the surface of the recess can reflect decorative light.
It is characterized by being something that

Here, examples of "winning slots" include "starting winning slots (second starting slots) from which a small number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters and a lottery for special symbols is held," "large winning slots from which a large number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters," and "gimmick winning slots from which a predetermined number of game balls are paid out when a game ball enters and which can supply winning game balls to a V winning slot or a losing slot."

Furthermore, the "convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which the game ball flows down when it comes into contact with it, and examples of the cross-sectional shape of the side include "semicircular," "triangular," "trapezoidal," "quadrilateral," "polygonal such as pentagonal or hexagonal," and "irregular shape with a free curve."

The "recess" may be a recess, and examples include a "shape similar to the shape of the protrusion" and a "shape different from the shape of the protrusion." It is also desirable for the "recess" to have a curved surface or multiple flat surfaces with different angles, which makes it possible to reflect light in various directions.

Furthermore, examples of "convex portions and concave portions" include "those provided on a thin rear plate portion (e.g., flange portion, base plate, etc.) extending along the front surface of the gaming board," "those provided on a thin front plate portion (e.g., front plate) that is positioned in front of the gaming board and forms a space between it and the gaming board through which gaming balls can pass," and "those provided on both a thin rear plate portion (e.g., flange portion, base plate, etc.) extending along the front surface of the gaming board and a thin front plate portion (e.g., front plate) that is positioned in front of the rear plate portion and forms a space between it and the rear plate portion through which gaming balls can pass."

Means 2 is configured as a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls circulate. The gaming area includes a winning opening that awards a player with a winning ball, a movable piece that switches the state of the winning opening between an easy-to-win state and an impossible-to-win state, and a convex portion formed downstream of the movable piece that affects the speed at which the gaming balls flow. A concave portion is provided on the back side of the convex portion, and the surface of the concave portion can reflect decorative light (see Chapter 11-8e. Passage Decorative Section, the description of the attacca passage portion 2517a and the right edge passage portion 2517b, Figure 137, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, a convex portion that affects the speed at which game balls flow is provided downstream of the movable piece that switches the winning port, located in the game area through which game balls flow, between an easy-to-win state and an unwinnable state, and a concave portion that reflects decorative light are provided on the back side of the convex portion.This allows the decorative light to be reflected by the concave portion, and the reflected light can illuminate and decorate the area around the movable piece.Since this illumination decoration is light reflected by the concave portion, it is possible to create an illumination decoration that is completely different from conventional illumination decorations that use direct light from LEDs, and it can draw the player's attention to the movable piece and, ultimately, the winning port.

Furthermore, because the convex portion is located downstream of the movable piece, the convex portion and concave portion are located downstream of the winning opening in the gaming area. If another winning opening is located further downstream from the movable piece, the concave portion will illuminate and decorate the area between the winning opening with the movable piece and the other winning opening, drawing the player's attention to both winning openings. Even if the gaming ball does not win in the winning opening with the movable piece, there is a possibility that it will win in another winning opening downstream, allowing the player to continue enjoying the game. In this case, because the convex portion with the concave portion on its back side is located upstream of the other winning opening, the convex portion can slow down the circulation speed of the gaming ball circulating toward the other winning opening, increasing the anticipation of winning in the other winning opening.

Furthermore, because the convex portion is located downstream of the movable piece, if the convex portion and concave portion are located inside the winning opening, the winning opening can be illuminated and decorated by the light reflected by the concave portion, strongly attracting the player's attention to the winning opening. Furthermore, by focusing on the winning opening, the player can create a sense of suspense as to whether the game ball will win when the winning opening is placed in a winning-friendly state by the movement of the movable piece, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest. Furthermore, if a convex portion with a concave portion on the back side is located inside the winning opening, the convex portion can slow down the flow speed of game balls that enter the winning opening, making the winning opening (and its interior) less likely to be damaged.

In addition, because a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, when viewed from the front, the shapes of the protrusion and recess appear more complex than when there is simply a protrusion, and this shape acts as decoration, improving the appearance of the component on which the protrusion and recess are provided.

Furthermore, because a recess is provided on the back side of the protrusion, the weight of the component on which the protrusion and recess are provided can be reduced compared to when no recess is provided, resulting in a reduction in weight and a reduction in the cost of the component on which the protrusion and recess are provided. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the component on which the protrusion and recess are provided, it is possible to eliminate the need for reinforcement, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and it is possible to suppress increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"A decorative member is provided on the back side of the convex portion, and the concave portion is made untouchable by the decorative member."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "decorative member" refers to a "sheet-shaped decorative sticker with a predetermined decoration," "plate-shaped decorative panel with a predetermined decoration," "decorative sheet or decorative cell with a predetermined decoration," "decorative body with a three-dimensional decoration," etc.

Furthermore, "inaccessible to fingers" means that the recesses cannot be touched by the fingers of a worker or the like, and examples include "those in which the back side of the convex portion and the decorative member are in contact with each other with no gap between them," "those in which a gap is provided between the back side of the convex portion and the decorative member but a finger cannot fit in (a gap large enough to fit a finger)," and "those in which a gap large enough to fit a finger is provided between the back side of the convex portion and the decorative member, but the outer periphery is surrounded by a decorative member or other member so that a finger cannot fit in the gap."

However, when a recess is provided on the backside of a protrusion, if the inside of the recess becomes dirty when a worker's fingers touch the inside of the recess during manufacturing, the gaming machine's appearance will be poor. Furthermore, if the inside of the recess becomes dirty, it takes time to wipe off the dirt due to its recessed shape, so careful work is required to prevent the recess from becoming dirty, which can unnecessarily lengthen the work time and increase costs.

According to the configuration of means 3, the gaming machine is provided with a decorative member on the backside of the convex portion, which makes the concave portion untouchable (see the description of decorative member 2435 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

With this configuration, decorative light can be reflected by a recessed portion on the backside of a protruding portion that changes the direction and speed of the game ball's flow near the movable portion that switches the winning slot between the easy-to-win and non-win states. This reflected light can illuminate and decorate the area around the movable portion (winning slot). Because this illumination is reflected by the recessed portion, it creates an illumination effect that is completely different from conventional illumination achieved by direct light from an LED, drawing the player's attention to the movable portion and, ultimately, the winning slot. Because the decorative member makes the recessed portion intangible, workers' fingers will not touch or get dirty during the manufacturing of the gaming machine. The decorative light can be effectively reflected from the recessed portion, ensuring the decorative effect of the illumination. Furthermore, the protruding portion with the recessed portion on the backside can affect the speed at which the game ball flows, making it possible to direct the game ball's flow toward the winning slot (movable portion) or slow down the speed at which the game ball flows near the winning slot (movable portion). As a result, the reflected light from the recess strongly draws the player's attention to the winning opening, and by focusing on the winning opening, the player can create a sense of suspense as to whether the game ball will enter the winning opening when the movable piece moves to place it in a winning-friendly state, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition to the decoration provided by the shapes of the convex and concave portions, the decorative members also provide decoration, improving the appearance of the component on which the convex and concave portions are provided.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The game machine further includes a thin passage plate portion extending parallel to the game board, and the protrusion and the recess are provided on the passage plate portion."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "passage plate portion" refers to "a rear plate portion (e.g., a flange portion, base plate, etc.) extending along the front surface of the gaming board," "a front plate portion (e.g., a front plate) positioned in front of the gaming board and forming a space between it and the gaming board through which gaming balls can pass," "both a rear plate portion (e.g., a flange portion, base plate, etc.) extending along the front surface of the gaming board and a front plate portion (e.g., a front plate) positioned in front of the rear plate portion and forming a space between it and the rear plate portion through which gaming balls can pass," etc.

According to the configuration of means 4, the gaming machine further comprises a thin passage plate portion extending parallel to the gaming board, and the passage plate portion is provided with a convex portion and a concave portion (see the description of the rear plate portion 2592 and the front plate portion 2593 in the [Description of the Invention]).

According to this configuration, if the passage plate portion on which the convex and concave portions are provided is a rear plate portion (flange portion or base plate) provided along the gaming board, the convex and concave portions will be provided behind the circulating gaming balls, and the concave portions will reflect decorative light and be illuminated, thereby strongly drawing the player's attention to the winning opening while the illuminated decoration makes the gaming balls circulating in front appear as silhouettes, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. On the other hand, if the passage plate portion on which the convex and concave portions are provided is a front plate portion (front board) provided along the gaming board, the convex and concave portions will be provided in front of the circulating gaming balls, and the concave portions will reflect decorative light and be illuminated, making the gaming balls appear to sparkle due to the reflected light from the concave portions provided in front of the circulating gaming balls, strongly drawing the player's attention to the winning opening. Furthermore, if the passage plate portion on which the convex portions and concave portions are provided is made up of both a rear plate portion extending along the front of the game board and a front plate portion positioned in front of the rear plate portion and forming a space between the rear plate portion and the passage plate portion through which game balls can circulate, the convex portions and concave portions will be provided in front of and behind the circulating game balls, so the luminous decoration of the concave portions provided on the rear plate portion makes the game balls appear as silhouettes, while the luminous decoration of the concave portions provided on the front plate portion makes them appear to sparkle, strongly attracting the player's attention to the winning opening and allowing them to enjoy the movement of the game balls, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, if the passage plate portion on which the convex portions and concave portions are provided consists of both a rear plate portion extending along the front of the gaming board and a front plate portion positioned in front of the rear plate portion and forming a space between the rear plate portion and the passage plate portion through which gaming balls can flow, and the convex portions of the rear plate portion and the front plate portion are arranged alternately (in a staggered pattern) in the direction of flow of gaming balls upstream of the movable pieces, as described above, the luminous decoration of the concave portions can strongly attract the player's attention to the winning opening, and the flow speed of the gaming balls can be significantly slowed near the winning opening, making it possible to lengthen the time the gaming balls remain on the movable pieces. This creates a sense of suspense as to whether the gaming ball will win or not when the movement of the movable pieces puts the winning opening in an easy-to-win state, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"A plurality of the protrusions are provided, and some of the protrusions have specific protrusions on the back side of which no recesses are provided."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, multiple convex portions are provided, some of which have specific convex portions on the back side that do not have concave portions (see the description of specific convex portion 2596 in the [Description of Embodiments]).

With this configuration, some of the multiple protrusions are special protrusions that do not have a recess on the back side. In other words, there is a mixture of protrusions with a recess on the back side and protrusions (special protrusions) that do not have a recess on the back side. This means that the back side of the special protrusions cannot reflect decorative light like the recesses, making it possible to create different lighting patterns between the protrusions and the special protrusions.

In addition, since the shapes seen from the front differ between protrusions with recesses on the backside and specific protrusions without recesses on the backside, it is possible to create a more varied decoration seen from the front compared to when multiple protrusions with recesses on the backside are provided.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can attract the player's attention to the winning slots, thereby entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

[15-19d. Characteristic effects of the 19th technical feature]
The game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of the second embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the second starting opening 2004 and the large winning opening 2005 in this embodiment correspond to the winning openings of the above-mentioned solution means, the second starting opening door 2411 and the large winning opening door 2413 in this embodiment correspond to the movable pieces of the above-mentioned solution means, the base plate 2431, front plate 2432, flange portion 2511b and front plate 2571 in this embodiment correspond to the passage plate portion of the above-mentioned solution means, and the attacca decorative base plate 2433, decorative member 2435 and front decorative portion 2572 in this embodiment correspond to the decorative member of the above-mentioned solution means.

Furthermore, the convex portion 2594, rear plate convex portion 2594a, and front plate convex portion 2594b in this embodiment correspond to the convex portion of the above-mentioned solution means, and the concave portion 2595, rear plate concave portion 2595a, and front plate concave portion 2595b in this embodiment correspond to the concave portion of the above-mentioned solution means, respectively.

[15-19d. Characteristic effects of the 19th technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a convex portion 2594 that affects the flow speed of the game ball B is provided upstream of the special prize opening door 2413 that switches the special prize opening 2005, which is provided in the game area 5a through which the game ball B circulates, between an easy-to-win state and an unwinnable state, and a concave portion 2595 that reflects decorative light is provided on the back side of the convex portion 2594, so that the decorative light can be reflected by the concave portion 2595, and the reflected light can illuminate and decorate the area around the special prize opening door 2413. Because this illuminated decoration is light reflected by the concave portion 2595, it is possible to create an illuminated decoration that is completely different from conventional illumination using direct light from an LED, and it is possible to draw the player's attention to the special prize opening door 2413 and, ultimately, to the special prize opening 2005. Furthermore, the convex portion 2594 having the concave portion 2595 on the back side is provided upstream of the large prize opening door 2413 and can affect the flow speed of the game ball B, so that the circulation speed of the game ball B can be slowed down and the game ball B circulating toward the large prize opening door 2413 (large prize opening 2005) can be made easier to see. Furthermore, because the convex portion 2594 is provided upstream of the large prize opening door 2413, it is possible to lengthen the retention time of the game ball B on the large prize opening door 2413. For this reason, the reflected light from the recess 2595 can strongly attract the player's attention to the large prize opening 2005, and by the player focusing on the large prize opening 2005, the player can feel anxious and excited about whether or not game ball B will win when the large prize opening door 2413 moves and the large prize opening 2005 becomes in a state where it is easy to win, which entertains the player and prevents a decline in interest.

In addition, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a convex portion 2594 that affects the flow speed of the game ball B is provided downstream of the second starting gate door 2411 or the large winning gate door 2413, which switches the second starting gate 2004 or the large winning gate 2005, which is provided in the game area 5a through which the game ball B circulates, between an easy-to-win state and an unwinnable state, and a concave portion 2595 that reflects decorative light is provided on the back side of the convex portion 2594.Since the decorative light can be reflected by the concave portion 2595, the reflected light can be used to illuminate and decorate the area around the second starting gate door 2411 (second starting gate 2004) and the area around the large winning gate door 2413 (large winning gate 2005). Because this illuminated decoration is light reflected by the recess 2595, it is possible to create an illuminated decoration that is completely different from conventional direct light from an LED, and it can draw the player's attention to the second starting gate door 2411 and the large winning gate door 2413, and ultimately to the second starting gate 2004 and large winning gate 2005 winning gates.

In addition, since the convex portion 2594 is located downstream of the second starting gate door 2411 or the large prize gate door 2413, if the convex portion 2594 and the concave portion 2595 are located downstream of the second starting gate 2004 or the large prize gate 2005 in the game area 5a and another prize gate (for example, the regular prize gate 2002, the second starting gate 2004, the large prize gate 2005, etc.) is located further downstream of the second starting gate door 2411 or the large prize gate door 2413, the concave portion 2595 will illuminate and decorate the area between the second starting gate 2004 or the large prize gate 2005 where the second starting gate door 2411 or the large prize gate door 2413 is located and the other prize gate, thereby drawing the player's attention to both prize gates. Furthermore, even if game ball B does not enter second start gate 2004 or large prize gate 2005, which is located at second start gate door 2411 or large prize gate door 2413, there is a possibility that it may enter another prize gate downstream, allowing the player to continue enjoying the game. In this case, convex portion 2594, which has concave portion 2595 on its back side, is located upstream of the other prize gate, so that the convex portion can slow down the circulation speed of game ball B circulating toward the other prize gate, thereby increasing anticipation of a prize being won at the other prize gate.

Furthermore, since the convex portion 2594 is located downstream of the second starting opening door 2411 or the large prize opening door 2413, if the convex portion 2594 and the concave portion 2595 are located inside the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005, the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005 can be illuminated and decorated by the light reflected by the concave portion 2595, which can strongly attract the player's attention to the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005.In addition, by the player paying attention to the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005, the player can be made to feel anxious and excited about whether or not game ball B will win when the second starting opening door 2411 or the large prize opening door 2413 moves and the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005 becomes in a state where it is easy to win, which entertains the player and prevents a decline in interest. Furthermore, if a convex portion 2594 with a concave portion 2595 on the back side is provided inside the second starting opening 2004 or the large winning opening 2005, the convex portion 2594 can slow down the circulation speed of the game ball B that has entered the second starting opening 2004 or the large winning opening 2005, making it less likely that the second starting opening 2004 or the large winning opening 2005 will be damaged.

In addition, because the decorative member 2435, front decorative portion 2572, etc. make the recess 2595 untouchable, workers' fingers will not come into contact with and get dirty from the recess 2595 during the manufacture of the pachinko machine 1, and the decorative light can be reflected well in the recess 2595, ensuring the decorative effect of the luminous decoration. Furthermore, the protrusion 2594, which has the recess 2595 on its back side, can affect the speed at which the game ball B flows down, making it possible to slow down the speed at which the game ball B flows down near the second starting opening 2004 or the special winning opening 2005 (the second starting opening door 2411 or the special winning opening door 2413). As a result, the reflected light from the recess 2595 can strongly attract the player's attention to the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005, and by the player focusing on the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005, the player can feel a sense of suspense as to whether or not game ball B will win when the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005 becomes ready to win due to the movement of the second starting opening door 2411 or the large prize opening door 2413, thereby entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition to decoration based on the shapes of the convex portions 2594 and concave portions 2595, decoration is also provided by the decorative members 2435, etc., thereby improving the appearance of the component on which the convex portions 2594 and concave portions 2595 are provided.

Furthermore, convex portions 2594 and concave portions 2595 are provided on both the rear plate portion 2592, which is provided along the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, and the front plate portion 2593, which is positioned in front of the rear plate portion 2592 and forms a space between the rear plate portion 2592 and the front plate portion 2593, through which gaming ball B can circulate. Since convex portions 2594 and concave portions 2595 are provided in front of and behind the circulating gaming ball B, the illuminating decoration of the rear plate concave portion 2595a on the rear plate portion 2592 makes the gaming ball B appear as a silhouette, while the illuminating decoration of the front plate concave portion 2595b on the front plate portion 2593 makes it appear to sparkle. This strongly draws the player's attention to the big prize opening 2005 and allows them to enjoy the movement of the gaming ball B, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, upstream of the large prize opening door 2413, the rear plate convex portions 2594a and the front plate convex portions 2594b of the front plate 2593 are arranged alternately (staggered) in the direction of flow of the game ball B. As a result, as described above, the illuminated decorations of the rear plate concave portions 2595a and the front plate concave portions 2595b strongly attract the player's attention to the large prize opening 2005, and the flow speed of the game ball B can be significantly slowed near the large prize opening 2005, allowing the game ball B to remain on the large prize opening door 2413 for a longer period of time. This creates a sense of suspense as to whether or not the game ball B will win when the large prize opening 2005 becomes ready for a win due to the movement of the large prize opening door 2413, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the recess 2595 is provided on the back side of the convex portion 2594, the weight can be reduced by the amount of the recess 2595 compared to when no recess is provided, allowing the component on which the convex portion 2594 and recess 2595 are provided to be lighter and the cost of the component on which the convex portion 2594 and recess 2595 are provided to be reduced. Furthermore, because the component on which the convex portion 2594 and recess 2595 are provided can be lighter, it is possible to eliminate the need for reinforcement that was required in conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

[15-20. 20th Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-20a. Background of the 20th technical feature]
It is known that in gaming machines such as pachinko machines, a plurality of protrusions are provided in the area where the gaming ball flows down in order to slow down the speed at which the gaming ball flows down (for example, Patent Document A20: JP 2017-196204 A). However, while the conventional technology such as that in Patent Document A20 can slow down the speed at which the gaming ball flows down, because it simply lines up protrusions with similar protrusion amounts, the movement of the gaming ball is monotonous and not entertaining to players.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can slow down the speed at which gaming balls flow while still allowing players to enjoy their movement.

[15-20b. Solution of the 20th technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board on the front side of which is provided a gaming area through which gaming balls circulate,
The game board has an opening extending from front to back,
The opening is provided with a center accessory,
The center feature is
A peripheral wall portion extending forward from the game board and preventing game balls from entering inside the opening;
an extension portion extending outward from the peripheral wall portion in a front view;
A flow-down area provided outside the peripheral wall portion and through which game balls flow down;
Equipped with
The flow-down area is provided with a first convex portion that protrudes forward from the game board and along the front surface of which the game balls flow down, and a second convex portion that protrudes further from the front surface of the first convex portion and affects the flow of the game balls.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of the "first convex portion" include "a portion with a smooth, flat front surface that protrudes forward" and "a portion with a flat front surface that protrudes forward and has fine irregularities due to embossing or the like." The first convex portion may also have a first recess that is recessed forward on the back side, or it may not have a first recess that is recessed on the back side. Furthermore, it is desirable for the first convex portion to be at least as large as one gaming ball in the direction of flow of the gaming balls.

The "second convex portion" may have any shape that can affect the speed at which a gaming ball comes into contact with it, and examples of cross-sectional shapes of the side include "semicircular," "triangle," "trapezoid," "square," "polygonal such as a pentagon or hexagon," and "irregular shape with a free curve." The second convex portion may be provided on the first convex portion alone, or multiple second convex portions may be provided on the first convex portion, or may be provided so as to straddle the extension portion and the first convex portion. The second convex portion may be large enough for a gaming ball to climb over, or large enough for a gaming ball to not climb over. The second convex portion may have a second recess on the back side that is recessed forward, or it may not have a second recess on the back side that is recessed.

Furthermore, the "first convex portion and second convex portion" only need to be located in the area where the game balls flow down, and may be located on the extension portion of the center role (for example, the flange portion), or may be located in a different position from the extension portion of the center role. Furthermore, the extension portion may have a front plate in front with a gap that allows game balls to pass through, or it may not have a front plate.

According to the configuration of the first aspect, the gaming machine is provided with a gaming board with a gaming area on the front side through which gaming balls flow. The gaming board has an opening penetrating from front to back, and the opening is equipped with a center device. The center device has a peripheral wall portion that extends forward of the gaming board and prevents gaming balls from entering the opening, an extension portion that extends outside the peripheral wall portion in a front view, and a flow-down area that is provided outside the peripheral wall portion through which gaming balls flow. The flow-down area is provided with a first convex portion that protrudes forward of the gaming board and through which gaming balls flow down the front surface, and a second convex portion that protrudes further in front of the first convex portion and affects the flow of gaming balls (see chapter [11-8e-4. Another embodiment of the passageway decoration], the description of the passageway decoration 2590A, Figures 144 to 146, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, a first convex portion that affects the circulation speed of the gaming balls is provided in the flow-down area of the center device where the gaming balls flow. Therefore, the gaming balls come into contact with the step at the upstream end of the first convex portion, and the presence of the first convex portion reduces the front-to-rear depth of the front side of the first convex portion, slowing the circulation speed of the gaming balls and making them easier to see. Furthermore, a second convex portion is provided in front of the first convex portion, so that the circulation speed of the gaming balls can be further slowed by abutting the first convex portion and then the second convex portion, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see and allowing players to enjoy the movement of the gaming balls.

Furthermore, when a gaming ball hits the first or second convex portion, it bounces forward and collides with the glass or front panel in front, and the sound of the collision draws the player's attention to the first convex portion, drawing their attention to the gaming ball circulating through the first and second convex portions and allowing them to enjoy the movement of the gaming ball. Note that if only glass is provided in front of the first convex portion, the impact sound of the gaming ball will be louder, further drawing the player's attention to the first convex portion. Furthermore, even if a front panel is provided in front of the first convex portion, the same effect as above can be achieved by designing the front panel to make a sound when a gaming ball collides with it.

In addition, because the second convex portion is provided on the front surface of the first convex portion, when viewed from the front, a complex shape appears due to the shape of the first convex portion and the shape of the second convex portion, compared to when only the first convex portion or the second convex portion is provided. This shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

It is desirable to provide a first recess on the back side of the first convex portion. By providing a first recess on the back side of the first convex portion, when viewed from the front, a more complex shape is seen due to the shape of the first convex portion and the shape of the first recess, compared to when only the first convex portion is provided. This shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect and improving the appearance of the center accessory.

Furthermore, when providing a first recess on the rear side of the first convex portion as described above, it is desirable to make the surface of the second recess capable of reflecting decorative light. As a result, since the decorative light can be reflected by the first recess on the rear side of the first convex portion, the reflected light can illuminate and decorate the first convex portion from behind. This illuminated decoration makes the gaming balls flowing down the first convex portion appear as silhouettes, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. This allows players to enjoy the movement of the gaming balls flowing down the flow area, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

It is also desirable to make the size of the first convex portion in the direction of game ball flow larger than one game ball. This makes it possible to ensure a certain amount of area in the game ball flow area that is narrow in depth in the front-to-back direction and can slow down the game ball, and it also makes it possible to provide multiple second convex portions in the first convex portion. This means that the first convex portion can sufficiently slow down the game ball's flow speed, while the multiple second convex portions can impart various movements to the game ball, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that allows for more enjoyable game ball movements.

Means 2: In the gaming machine,
"A first recess is provided on the rear side of the first protrusion."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "first recess" may be a recessed shape that is approximately similar to the convex shape of the first convex portion, or a recessed shape that is completely different from the convex shape of the first convex portion. Examples of the recessed shape of the first recess include an arrow shape, a star shape, a geometric pattern shape, a letter shape, a character shape, etc. The first recess may also be capable of reflecting decorative light, or may have a textured finish.

According to the configuration of Means 2, a first recess is provided on the back side of the first convex portion (see the description of the first recess 2595e in the "Description of Embodiments").

With this configuration, the first recess is provided on the back side of the first convex portion. When viewed from the front, the shape of the first convex portion and the shape of the first recess create a complex shape compared to when only the first convex portion is provided. This shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect and improving the appearance of the center accessory.

In addition, because the first recess is provided on the back side of the first convex portion, the weight of the center device can be reduced compared to when the first recess is not provided, resulting in a reduction in weight and a reduction in the cost of the center device. Furthermore, because the center device can be made lighter, it is no longer necessary to reinforce it, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and this helps to prevent increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The first convex portion is
It has the size of one or more gaming balls in the direction of the gaming balls'flow."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 3, the first convex portion has a size equivalent to at least one gaming ball in the direction of the gaming balls' flow (see the description of first convex portion 2594c in the "Description of the Invention").

With this configuration, the first convex portion is made larger than one game ball in the direction of game ball flow, which makes it possible to secure a certain amount of area in the game ball flow area that is narrow in depth in the front-to-back direction and can slow down the game ball, and it also makes it possible to provide multiple second convex portions on the first convex portion. This allows the first convex portion to sufficiently slow down the game ball's flow speed, while the multiple second convex portions can impart various movements to the game ball, providing a gaming machine that allows for more enjoyable game ball movement.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The rear surface of the first convex portion is capable of reflecting decorative light."
It is characterized by being something.

To make it possible to reflect decorative light, a second recess that reflects decorative light may be provided on the back side of the first convex portion, or a highly reflective sheet may be provided on the back side of the first convex portion.

Meanwhile, the configuration of Measure 4 allows decorative light to be reflected by the rear surface of the first convex portion (see the description of the first concave portion 2595e in the "Description of the Invention" section).

With this configuration, a first convex portion that affects the flow speed of the gaming balls is provided in the flow-down area of the center device through which the gaming balls flow. Therefore, the gaming balls contact the step at the upstream end of the first convex portion, and the presence of the first convex portion reduces the front-to-rear depth of the front side of the first convex portion, thereby slowing down the flow speed of the gaming balls. Furthermore, a second convex portion is provided in front of the first convex portion. By contacting the first convex portion and then the second convex portion, the flow speed of the gaming balls can be further slowed, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. In this case, the back surface of the first convex portion is capable of reflecting decorative light, so the reflected light can illuminate the first convex portion from behind. This illuminated decoration makes the gaming balls flowing down the first convex portion appear as silhouettes, making the movement of the gaming balls easier to see. This allows players to enjoy the movement of the gaming balls flowing down the flow-down area, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In addition, in the flow-down area of the center device where the game balls flow, decorative light can be reflected on the back side of the first convex portion, which affects the circulation speed of the game balls, and this reflected light can illuminate and decorate the flow-down area where the game balls flow. Therefore, even though the flow-down area of the center device does not have the ostentatious decorations found in conventional gaming machines, the flow-down area is illuminated and decorated, making it possible for players to recognize that this gaming machine is equipped with decorations that are completely different from those of previous gaming machines, making it possible to provide a highly appealing gaming machine that can strongly attract players' attention.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"A second recess is provided on the back side of the second protrusion."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "second recess" may be any recessed shape, including a "shape similar to the shape of the second protrusion" and a "shape different from the shape of the second protrusion." The "second recess" may also be capable of reflecting decorative light.

According to the configuration of Means 5, a second recess is provided on the back side of the second convex portion (see the description of the second recess 2595f in the "Description of Embodiments").

With this configuration, the second recess is provided on the back side of the second protrusion. Therefore, when viewed from the front, the shape of the second protrusion and the shape of the second recess appear more complex than when only the second protrusion is provided. This shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect and improving the appearance of the center accessory.

In addition, because the second recess is provided on the back side of the second convex portion, the weight of the center device can be reduced compared to when the second recess is not provided, resulting in a reduction in weight and a reduction in the cost of the center device. Furthermore, because the center device can be made lighter, it is no longer necessary to reinforce it, which was necessary in conventional gaming machines, and this helps to prevent increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can slow down the speed at which gaming balls flow while still allowing players to enjoy their movement.

[15-20c. Relationship between the solution of the 20th technical feature and embodiments]
The game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of the second embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the flange portion 2511b and rear plate portion 2592 of the center device 2500 in this embodiment correspond to the extension portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the inflow control portion 2511c in this embodiment corresponds to the peripheral wall portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball passage 2591 in this embodiment corresponds to the flow-down area of the above-mentioned solution means, the first convex portion 2594c in this embodiment corresponds to the first convex portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the second convex portion 2594d in this embodiment corresponds to the second convex portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the first recess 2595e in this embodiment corresponds to the first recess of the above-mentioned solution means, and the second recess 2595f in this embodiment corresponds to the second recess of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-20d. Characteristic effects of the 20th technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the ball passage 2591 through which the game ball B flows down in the center device 2500 of the game board 5 of the second embodiment is provided with a first convex portion 2594c that affects the circulation speed of the game ball B, so that the game ball B abuts against the step at the upstream end of the first convex portion 2594c, and the presence of the first convex portion 2594c reduces the depth in the front-to-rear direction on the front side of the first convex portion 2594c, thereby slowing down the circulation speed of the game ball B and making it easier to see the game ball B. Furthermore, because the second convex portion 2594d is provided in front of the first convex portion 2594c, the circulation speed of the game ball B can be further slowed down by abutting against the first convex portion 2594c and then against the second convex portion 2594d, making the movement of the game ball B easier to see and allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B.

In addition, when game ball B hits first convex portion 2594c or second convex portion 2594d, the game ball bounces forward and hits the glass in front, and the sound of the impact draws the player's attention to the first convex portion 2594c, drawing the player's attention to the game ball B circulating through first convex portion 2594c and second convex portion 2594d and allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball.

In addition, because the second convex portion 2594d is provided on the front surface of the first convex portion 2594c, when viewed from the front, a complex shape appears due to the shapes of the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, compared to when only the first convex portion 2594c or the second convex portion 2594d is provided. This shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect.

Furthermore, because the first recess 2595e is provided on the back side of the first convex portion 2594c, when viewed from the front, a complex shape is seen due to the shape of the first convex portion 2594c and the shape of the first recess 2595e, compared to when only the first convex portion 2594c is provided. This shape acts as decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect and improving the appearance of the center role piece 2500.

Furthermore, because the first recess 2595e on the back side of the first convex portion 2594c is capable of reflecting decorative light, the reflected light can illuminate the first convex portion 2594c from behind, making the game ball B flowing down in front of the first convex portion 2594c appear as a silhouette, making the movement of the game ball B easier to see. This allows the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B flowing down the ball passage 2591, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In addition, because the size of the first convex portion 2594c in the direction of flow of the game ball B is larger than that of a single game ball B, it is possible to ensure a certain amount of area in the flow area (ball passage 2591) of the game ball B that is narrow in depth in the front-to-back direction and can slow down the game ball B, and it is also possible to provide multiple second convex portions 2594d in the first convex portion 2594c. Therefore, the first convex portion 2594c can sufficiently slow down the flow speed of the game ball B, while the multiple second convex portions 2594d can impart various movements to the game ball B, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that allows players to enjoy the movements of the game ball B more.

Furthermore, because the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f are provided on the back side of the first convex portion 2594c and the second convex portion 2594d, the weight of the center role 2500 can be reduced compared to when the first recess 2595e and the second recess 2595f are not provided, allowing for weight reduction and reducing the cost of the center role 2500. Furthermore, because it is possible to reduce the weight of the center role 2500, it is possible to eliminate the need for reinforcement that was required in conventional pachinko machines, and it is possible to suppress increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

[15-21. 21st Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-21a. Background of the 21st technical feature]
In so-called circulation type (enclosed type) gaming machines, the number of balls held is increased or decreased by electronic storage means, and the game proceeds without dispensing game balls. This has the advantage that the player does not have to touch the game balls. However, on the other hand, since the game proceeds without the physical game balls, the player must be very careful when handling the game balls.

In particular, when settling the account at the end of a game when there are balls remaining, players will focus on the remaining number, and any discrepancies in the figures can easily lead to distrust.

For example, in the case of Patent Document A21 (JP Patent Publication No. 2016-215033 [paragraphs 0060 and 0061]), when a ball feed detection switch detects that one game ball has been supplied from the supply passage to the ball launching unit, the circulating ball count memory (the so-called balls in stock) is decremented by one. Even if the player releases the launch handle and stops firing, if a game ball is supplied from the ball feed device onto the launching rail, the number of balls in the player's possession will be decremented, even if no action has been taken to fire that game ball.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can eliminate players' distrust and reduce the loss of interest caused by distrust by matching the number of balls held with the actual gameplay at the time of settlement.

[15-21b. Solution of the 21st technical feature]
Effective solutions for achieving the above-mentioned object are shown below. The operation and other details will be explained as necessary. For ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations and other details will be shown in the embodiments of the invention as appropriate, but are not intended to be limiting.

Means 1:
"In a gaming machine in which a ball feeding device that feeds game balls onto a launching rail operates, and when it detects that a game ball has been sent onto the launching rail, the number of balls held is subtracted, and when the game ball is launched but does not reach the game board and is detected by a foul ball sensor, the number of balls held is added,
When the player performs a settlement operation to return the information on the number of balls held,
Without operating the ball feeding device, the game ball is launched so that it does not reach the game board, and when it is detected by the foul ball sensor, the information on the number of balls held is added to the information on the number of balls held and then returned to the player.

In the above configuration, the ball feeding device operates to feed game balls onto the launch rail, and when it detects that a game ball has been fed onto the launch rail, the number of balls in possession is subtracted, and when the game ball is launched but does not reach the game board and is detected by a foul ball sensor, the number of balls in possession is added. When a settlement operation is performed, the game ball on the launch rail (the number of balls in possession was subtracted when it moved onto the launch rail) is first removed by being launched, so that it does not reach the game board when it is launched. As a result, the game ball on the launch rail becomes a foul ball, and when it is detected by the foul ball sensor, it is added to the number of balls in possession. By settling the added amount in this way, the information about the subtracted balls that have not been used for play is consistent with the information about the balls in hand, so the player does not feel distrustful (see, for example, [7-4c. Settlement process for the pachinko machine of the second embodiment], [4-2a. Ball launch unit of the second embodiment], [4-6a. Ball sending unit of the second embodiment], [4-3b. Foul unit of the third embodiment], [7-2a. Retained ball subtraction process for the pachinko machine of the second embodiment], and [7-4b. Launch control process for the pachinko machine of the second embodiment]).

When launching game balls so that they do not reach the game board, they can be launched either automatically when the settlement operation is initiated, or manually by the player. However, if the game balls are launched manually by the player, the gaming machine must wait for the player's operation, and it is also possible that the player may forget to operate the machine. Therefore, it is preferable to launch the balls automatically and forcibly when the settlement operation is initiated.

Another method of launching a gaming ball so that it does not reach the gaming board is to set the excitation voltage of the launch solenoid low and launch it weakly. In this case, if the launch rail is long but the launch strength is weak, the gaming ball may not reach the end of the rail and may return. If this happens, the gaming ball will not be detected by the foul ball sensor. To prevent this kind of problem, it is desirable for the launch rail to be short. Note that in this invention, the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one gaming ball.

Furthermore, as a method of launching game balls so that they do not reach the game board, a foul shutter that prevents game balls from being ejected toward the game board may be provided between the launch device, including the launch rail, and the game ball outlet to the game board. It is desirable that this foul shutter be activated and appear in time with the launch when the settlement operation is performed. With this configuration, the game ball can be reliably detected by the foul ball sensor without weakening the strength of the game ball launch. Here, possible means for driving the foul shutter include driving by a motor or a solenoid.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"When the settlement operation is performed, the excitation voltage of the launch solenoid is set low to forcibly launch the game ball, thereby launching the game ball so that it does not reach the game board."

When launching game balls to prevent them from reaching the game board, the game machine automatically forcibly launches them without relying on the player's operation, preventing missed operations and ensuring that information about the game balls is consistent with information about the balls in hand.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
A feature of this system is that "when the settlement operation is carried out and a forced release is performed, a foul shutter is activated to prevent the game ball from being released toward the game board."

If the foul shutter, which prevents game balls from being ejected toward the game board, is activated when necessary, information about the game ball will reliably match information about the ball in hand. Furthermore, by closing the foul shutter, game ball B becomes a foul ball without having to travel a long distance back and forth along the outer rail 1001, thereby shortening the time it takes to detect a foul ball. In addition, because the foul shutter can reliably prevent game balls from being ejected toward the game board, the launch strength can be set roughly when forcibly launching game balls, which reduces the amount of man-hours required to develop the game machine.

[15-21c. Characteristic effects of the 21st technical feature]
In this way, according to the above solution, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can dispel players' distrust and reduce the loss of interest in the game due to distrust by matching the number of balls held with the actual state of the game at the time of settlement.

[15-22. 22nd Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-22a. Background of the 22nd technical feature]
In so-called circulation type (enclosed type) gaming machines, the number of balls held is increased or decreased by electronic storage means, and the game proceeds without paying out game balls. This has the advantage that the player does not have to touch the game balls. However, on the other hand, since the game proceeds without physical game balls, players are required to be very careful about how they handle their balls. In particular, if the payment cannot be settled at the end of the game, the hall may lose credibility.

For example, in an in-machine circulation type pachinko machine in which the settlement process is executed when the return button 75 is operated, as in Patent Document A22 (JP Patent Publication No. 2016-215033 (paragraphs 0038 to 0040)), if a malfunction occurs in the return button 75, the settlement process will not be executed.

The following solution takes into consideration the above situation and aims to provide a gaming machine that can process payments even in the event of an unforeseen problem with the operating unit.

[15-22b. Solution of the 22nd technical feature]
Means 1:
"The game machine comprises a game board that is detachably supported from the front of the main frame and has a game area where games are played with game balls, a ball launching means that is provided below the game board and is capable of supplying game balls to the game area, a foul ball recovery means that recovers game balls that are launched by the ball launching means but not supplied to the game area, and a ball circulation means that recovers game balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means.
A gaming machine in which game balls are shot by the ball shooting means based on the digitized ball data of a player,
a first settlement switch for a player to execute settlement processing of the ball holding data;
and a second settlement switch for allowing the gaming facility manager to execute the settlement process for the ball possession data.
(See the description in the section [4-10. Second Counting Button Switch] in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention], and Figures 2, 4, 18, 68, etc.)

According to the above-mentioned method 1, if the first settlement switch operated by the player breaks down, the second settlement switch operated by the gaming facility manager can be operated to execute the settlement process. This means that even if an unforeseen problem occurs with the first settlement switch, the second settlement switch can be operated to settle the account.

Means 2: In the gaming machine of means 1,
"The first adjustment switch is provided on the door frame of the gaming machine so that it can be operated from the front side of the gaming machine, while the second adjustment switch is provided on the rear side of the gaming machine so that it can be operated from the rear side of the gaming machine with the main body frame open." (See the description of the first counting button switch 180 and the second counting button switch 180B in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

According to the above-mentioned method 2, the second adjustment switch is not for normal use but is intended to respond to unforeseen circumstances such as when the first adjustment switch breaks down, and is therefore located on the back of the gaming machine, where only the gaming facility manager knows about it. This prevents players from being misled.

Means 3: In the gaming machine of means 2,
"The second adjustment switch is located closer to the open side of the main body frame than the center of the gaming machine." (See the description of the second counting button switch 180B in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

According to the above-mentioned means 3, the mechanism is positioned in front of the opening side so that it can be operated in the presence of a player without having to fully open the main frame. This allows for quick response to player requests.

Means 4: In the gaming machine of means 1 to 3,
"The first adjustment switch and the second reconciliation switch, and the printed circuit board on which the first adjustment switch is mounted and the printed circuit board on which the second adjustment switch is mounted, are common." (See the description of the first counting button switch 180 and the second counting button switch 180B in the "Description of Embodiments").

According to Measure 4 above, the first adjustment switch and the second adjustment switch are mounted on a common printed circuit board, etc., which reduces costs.

Means 5: A gaming machine according to means 1 to 4,
"The surface of the operating part of the second adjustment switch is electrically grounded." (See the description of the second counting button switch 180B in the Detailed Description of the Invention.)

According to Measure 5 above, the operating section of the second adjustment switch, which is touched by players and amusement facility managers, is electrically grounded. This avoids the risk of the control board malfunctioning due to static electricity accumulated by players or amusement facility managers.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that allows settlement even if an unforeseen event occurs during the settlement process.

[15-22c. Relationship between the solution of the 22nd technical feature and embodiments]
The first counting button switch 180 of this embodiment corresponds to the first adjustment switch of the above-mentioned solution means, and the second counting button switch 180B of this embodiment corresponds to the second adjustment switch of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-22d. Characteristic effects of the 22nd technical feature]
According to this embodiment, if the first counting button switch 180 operated by the player breaks down, the gaming facility manager operates the second counting button switch 180B to execute the settlement process. As a result, even if an unexpected problem occurs with the first counting button switch 180, the second counting button switch 180B can be operated to settle the account.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the second counting button switch 180B is not for normal use but is intended to respond to unforeseen circumstances such as when the first counting button switch 108 breaks. Therefore, it is located on the back of the gaming machine, where only the gaming facility manager knows about it. This prevents players from being confused.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when operating in the presence of a player, the mechanism is located in front of the opening side so that operation can be performed without fully opening the main frame 4. This allows for quick response to player requests.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the first counting button switch 180 and the second counting button switch 180B are mounted on a common printed circuit board, etc., which reduces costs.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the operating portion of the second counting button switch 180B, which is touched by players and amusement facility managers, is electrically grounded. This avoids the risk of the control board malfunctioning due to static electricity accumulated by players or amusement facility managers.

[15-23. 23rd Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-23a. Background of the 23rd technical feature]
A gaming machine such as a pachinko machine has been proposed in which a ball launching means launches gaming balls into a gaming area based on the digitized ball data of a player, and when a gaming ball is launched, the launched gaming ball is subtracted from the ball data, and when a gaming ball is launched from the ball launching means but not supplied to the gaming area and is collected by a foul ball collecting means, the collected gaming ball is added to the ball data (for example, Patent Document 1). This technology in Patent Document 1 makes it possible to circulate gaming balls within the gaming machine, thereby reducing the burden on the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed.

In gaming machines such as those described in Patent Document A23 (JP Patent Publication No. 2020-89489), if the amount of game balls stored (enclosed) for circulation exceeds the appropriate range and becomes excessive, problems such as ball clogging are likely to occur. Therefore, when adding and storing game balls for maintenance, etc., it is necessary to ensure that there are not too many game balls, which is a time-consuming problem.

In light of the above situation, the present invention aims to provide a gaming machine that makes it easy to replace or replenish the enclosed gaming balls.

[15-23b. Solution of the 23rd technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The ball circulation means is
a ball passage through which game balls are distributed;
a passage dividing portion dividing the spherical passage into a first passage portion on a downstream side and a second passage portion on an upstream side;
a bridge portion that connects the first passage portion and the second passage portion so as to straddle the passage dividing portion and through which game balls can roll;
and
When the first passage is filled with game balls and game balls are supplied from the second passage to the first passage through the installation part, the game balls leave the installation part, pass through the passage dividing part and are discharged outside the ball circulation means.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "passage dividing portion" include "something that penetrates downward through at least the bottom wall of the ball passage" and "something that penetrates at least one side wall of the ball passage so as to create a notch."

Furthermore, examples of "mounting parts" include "parts whose width is smaller than the diameter of a gaming ball," "parts whose width is larger than the diameter of a gaming ball," and "parts whose upper surface has a guide groove extending to connect the first passage part and the second passage part."

According to the configuration of means 1, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played using gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area of the gaming board, and a ball circulating means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming balls are launched by the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player. The ball circulating means is a ball passage through which the gaming balls circulate and a circulating means that divides the ball passage into a first passage section downstream and a second passage section upstream. It has a path dividing section and an erection section that connects the first passage section and the second passage section across the path dividing section and through which game balls can roll. When the first passage section is filled with game balls and game balls are supplied from the second passage section to the first passage section through the erection section, the game balls leave the erection section, pass through the path dividing section, and are discharged outside the ball circulation means (see chapter [4-4c. Ball serpentine member of the second embodiment] in [Embodiment of the invention], the description of ball serpentine member 613A, Figures 47 to 49, etc.).

As a result, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (for example, the number of balls held is 1 or more), the ball passage through which the gaming balls circulate is divided by a passage dividing section into a first passage section on the downstream side and a second passage section on the upstream side, and the first passage section and the second passage section are connected by an erection section so as to straddle the passage dividing section, so that when a player launches a gaming ball and the gaming ball is circulated (circulated) by the ball circulation means, the gaming ball will not fall off the erection section due to the inertia of the circulation speed of the gaming ball flowing down the second passage section on the upstream side. Therefore, during play, game balls can flow from the second passageway through the erection section to the first passageway, ensuring that game balls can circulate even when the ball passageway is divided by the passageway dividing section, allowing players to enjoy playing with this gaming machine.

On the other hand, when game balls need to be replaced or replenished for maintenance, etc., the replenished game balls are inserted into the second passage section. Then, when the replenished game balls fill the first passage section of the ball passage, if more game balls are supplied from the second passage section upstream of the first passage section to the first passage section through the installation section spanning the passage dividing section, the game balls will leave the installation section, pass through the passage dividing section, and be discharged outside the ball circulation means. Therefore, by setting the upstream end of the first passage section (the boundary between the first passage section and the installation section) as the upper limit of the appropriate range of game balls to be stored, game balls that exceed this upper limit can be automatically discharged from the passage dividing section to the ball circulation means, providing a gaming machine that makes it easy to replace or replenish game balls during maintenance, etc. Furthermore, when discharging excess game balls, the appropriate number of circulating game balls (circulating balls) can be maintained without requiring any power for detecting or discharging the game balls.

The installation section may also have a guide groove extending to connect the first passage section and the second passage section. This makes it difficult for game balls passing through the installation section to fall off the installation section, as the guide groove is provided in the installation section. This ensures that game balls can circulate reliably during games that require them to circulate, and prevents the game from being interrupted due to a lack of circulating game balls (ball shortage), thereby preventing a decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, as described above, when a guide groove is provided in the installation section, the guide groove allows game balls to be lined up in a single row. Therefore, when the first passage section is filled with game balls and multiple game balls are supplied (flowing down) from the second passage section to the installation section, the game balls will try to line up in a single row on the installation section, increasing the ball pressure on the game balls downstream. Even if the ball pressure on the game balls causes them to move downstream toward the first passage section, they cannot move downstream because the first passage section is filled with game balls. Therefore, the ball pressure pushes the game balls out in the width direction of the installation section, causing them to fall out of the installation section and pass through the passage dividing section to be discharged outside the ball circulation means. This allows game balls that exceed the upper limit of the appropriate storage capacity range to be reliably discharged from the passage dividing section to the ball circulation means, providing a gaming machine that is more likely to achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, when a guide groove is provided in the bridge section as described above, the guide groove may be configured to extend from the bridge section further upstream to the second passage section. This makes it easier to achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Also, an alignment section that can align game balls in a line may be provided in a section of the second passage section near the installation section. By providing the alignment section in the second passage section, this alignment section can increase the straightness of the game balls, allowing the game balls to flow straight down from the second passage section (alignment section) toward the installation section, making it less likely that the game balls will fall off the installation section and ensuring the game balls can be circulated.

Furthermore, as described above, if an alignment section is provided near the installation section in the second passage section, when the first passage section is filled with game balls and game balls are lined up on the installation section without falling off, the game balls will line up in a row in the alignment section upstream of the installation section, and the ball pressure of the lined-up game balls can push the game balls on the installation section downstream. This pressure pushes game balls on the installation section that cannot move downstream in the width direction, allowing them to be discharged outside the ball circulation means. This allows game balls that exceed the upper limit of the appropriate range of storage capacity to be reliably discharged from the passage dividing section out of the ball circulation means, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that facilitates game ball replacement and replenishment operations during maintenance, etc.

However, it is anticipated that fraudulent activity will occur during play when game balls are circulating, such as docking the gaming machine to cause the game balls to fall out of the installation section and be discharged through the passage dividing section and out of the ball circulation means, thereby reducing the number of stored game balls. In response to this, if the alignment section provided in the second passage section as described above is a passage with a pair of slopes, such as a V-shaped cross section or a trapezoidal shape that narrows downward, it will come into contact with the game balls at an angle. Therefore, even if the passage (alignment section) shakes due to docking, the slope of the alignment section will allow the external force to escape diagonally upward in the direction of the game ball's movement. This makes it harder for game balls to fall out of the center of the alignment section, thereby reducing the docking effect.

Furthermore, when providing an alignment section in the second passage section as described above, it is desirable to smoothly connect the alignment section at its upstream end and at the boundary with the installation section to prevent gaming balls from bouncing. This prevents the flow speed of gaming balls from decreasing in the alignment section, allowing them to pass through the installation section quickly, minimizing the timing for balls to be hit, and providing a gaming machine that makes it easier to prevent fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, the portion of the first passage section near the erection section may be wider than the downstream side. As a result, the portion of the first passage section near the erection section is wider than the downstream side, so even if a gaming ball that flows down from the second passage section to the erection section deviates from the central axis of the erection section, the widened portion of the first passage section can receive the gaming ball, ensuring the gaming ball can be circulated.

Furthermore, as described above, if the width of the first passage section near the installation section is wider than that downstream, when game balls B are replenished for maintenance, etc., the last game ball filling the first passage section will be in contact with one of the pair of widened side walls, and the center of the last game ball will be farther away from the central axis of the first passage section (the central axis of the installation section). In this state, when a game ball flows down from the second passage section through the installation section toward the first passage section, the game ball will come into contact with a portion of the first passage section that is away from directly behind the last game ball. Because the tangent to the portion away from directly behind the game ball is inclined rather than perpendicular to the flow direction of the game balls, this inclination causes the flow direction of the game balls that have passed through the installation section to be directed toward the width of the installation section, causing them to deviate from the installation section and be discharged outside the ball circulation means. Therefore, compared to when the relevant portion of the first passage is not widened, it is possible to more easily discharge gaming balls that exceed the upper limit of the appropriate range of storage capacity, providing a gaming machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, when the first passageway is widened near the installation section, even if a gaming ball circulating through the installation section deviates from the central axis of the installation section due to impact, the widened portion of the first passageway can catch the gaming ball, thereby reducing the impact effect.

Furthermore, the gaming machine may further be provided with a ball receiving tray that can receive gaming balls that have detached from the installation section and passed through the passage dividing section. This provides a ball receiving tray that receives gaming balls that have passed through the passage dividing section and been discharged from the ball circulation means, so that the discharged gaming balls do not scatter, making it easier to collect the gaming balls, and providing a gaming machine that allows for easy replacement or refilling of gaming balls during maintenance, etc.

Furthermore, when a ball receiving tray is provided as described above, it may be so designed that a sound is emitted when a gaming ball comes into contact with the ball receiving tray after being discharged from the ball circulation means. This makes it possible to notify workers that the storage volume has exceeded the upper limit of the appropriate range. Furthermore, if a sound is emitted during play, it can alert game hall staff that fraudulent activity is occurring.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The erection section is
It has a guide groove that extends so as to connect the first passage portion and the second passage portion.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "guide grooves" include "grooves with a V-shaped cross section," "grooves with a trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward," and "concave grooves with a width smaller than the diameter of the game ball."

According to the configuration of means 2, the bridge portion has a guide groove extending to connect the first passage portion and the second passage portion (see the description of guide groove 642a in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, by providing a guide groove in the installation section, it is possible to prevent game balls passing through the installation section from falling off the installation section, and game balls can be reliably circulated during games that require them to circulate, preventing game interruptions due to a lack of circulating game balls (ball shortage) and preventing a decline in player interest.

Furthermore, because the installation section is provided with a guide groove, the guide groove allows the gaming balls to line up in a single row. Therefore, when the first passage section is filled with gaming balls and multiple gaming balls are supplied (flowing down) from the second passage section to the installation section, the gaming balls try to line up in a single row on the installation section, increasing the ball pressure on the gaming balls downstream. Even if the ball pressure on the gaming balls causes them to try to move downstream toward the first passage section, they cannot do so because the first passage section is filled with gaming balls. Therefore, the gaming balls are pushed out in the width direction of the installation section by the ball pressure, and are ejected out of the installation section, passing through the passage dividing section, and out of the ball circulation means. This allows gaming balls that exceed the upper limit of the appropriate storage capacity range to be reliably ejected from the passage dividing section and out of the ball circulation means, providing a gaming machine that is more likely to achieve the above-mentioned effects.

The guide groove may also extend from the bridge section further upstream to the second passage section. This makes it easier to achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The second passage portion is
An alignment section that can align the game balls in a line is provided near the installation section.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "alignment portion" include "a portion with a V-shaped cross section that meets at two points below the center of the gaming ball," "a trapezoidal portion with a tapered cross section that meets at two points below the center of the gaming ball," "a portion with a concave cross section that meets at two points below the center of the gaming ball," and "a portion consisting of a pair of protrusions spaced apart in the width direction that meet at two points below the center of the gaming ball."

According to the configuration of means 3, the second passage section is provided with an alignment section near the installation section that can align the gaming balls in a line (see the description of alignment section 644 in the [Description of Embodiments]).

As a result, by providing an alignment section in the second passage section, the alignment section can increase the straightness of the game balls, allowing the game balls to flow straight down from the second passage section (alignment section) toward the installation section, making it less likely for the game balls to fall off the installation section and ensuring the game balls can be circulated.

In addition, because an alignment section is provided near the installation section in the second passage section, when the first passage section is filled with game balls and game balls line up on the installation section without falling out of the installation section, the game balls will line up in a row in the alignment section upstream of the installation section, and the ball pressure of the lined-up game balls can push the game balls on the installation section downstream. This pressure pushes game balls on the installation section that cannot move downstream in the width direction, allowing them to be discharged outside the ball circulation means. This allows game balls that exceed the upper limit of the appropriate storage capacity range to be reliably discharged from the passage dividing section out of the ball circulation means, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that facilitates game ball replacement and replenishment work during maintenance, etc.

However, it is anticipated that fraudulent activity will occur during play when game balls are circulating, such as docking the gaming machine to cause the game balls to fall out of the installation section and be discharged through the passage dividing section and out of the ball circulation means, thereby reducing the number of stored game balls. In response to this, if the alignment section is a passage with a pair of slopes, such as a V-shaped cross section or a trapezoidal shape that narrows downward, the balls will come into contact at an angle. Even if the passage (alignment section) shakes due to docking, the slope of the alignment section will allow the external force to escape diagonally upward in the direction of the game balls' movement. This makes it harder for game balls to fall out of the center of the alignment section, thereby reducing the docking effect.

It is desirable to smoothly connect the gaming balls at the upstream end of the alignment section and at the boundary with the installation section so that they do not bounce. This prevents the flow speed of the gaming balls from decreasing in the alignment section, allowing them to pass through the installation section quickly, minimizing the timing for collisions and providing a gaming machine that is more resistant to fraudulent activity.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The first passage portion is
The area near the installation site is wider than the downstream side.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 4, the first passage section is wider near the installation section than on the downstream side (see the description of the widened section 643 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, the section of the first passage section near the erection section is wider than the downstream side, so even if a gaming ball that flows down from the second passage section to the erection section deviates from the central axis of the erection section, the expanded section of the first passage section can catch the gaming ball, ensuring that the gaming ball can be circulated.

In addition, because the width of the first passage section near the installation section is wider than the downstream section, when game balls B are replenished for maintenance, etc., the last game ball filling the first passage section is in contact with one of the pair of widened side walls, causing the center of the last game ball to be farther away from the central axis of the first passage section (the central axis of the installation section). In this state, when a game ball flows down from the second passage section through the installation section toward the first passage section, the game ball will come into contact with a portion of the first passage section that is away from directly behind the last game ball. Because the tangent to the portion away from directly behind the game ball is inclined rather than perpendicular to the flow direction of the game balls, this inclination causes the flow direction of the game balls that have passed through the installation section to be directed toward the width of the installation section, causing them to deviate from the installation section and be discharged outside the ball circulation means. Therefore, compared to when the relevant portion of the first passage is not widened, it is possible to more easily discharge gaming balls that exceed the upper limit of the appropriate range of storage capacity, providing a gaming machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, because the first passageway is widened near the installation section, even if a gaming ball circulating through the installation section deviates from the central axis of the installation section due to impact, the widened portion of the first passageway can catch the gaming ball, reducing the impact effect.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"It further has a ball receiving tray that can receive game balls that have come off the installation section and passed through the passage dividing section."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the gaming machine further includes a ball receiving tray that can receive gaming balls that have detached from the installation section and passed through the passage dividing section (see the description of the ball serpentine member 613A and ball receiving tray 720 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, a ball receiving tray is provided to receive game balls discharged from the ball circulation means through the passage dividing section, so the discharged game balls do not scatter, making it easy to collect the game balls and providing a gaming machine that makes it easy to replace or replenish game balls during maintenance, etc.

In addition, when the ball receiving tray receives the game balls discharged from the ball circulation means, a sound may be made when the game balls come into contact with the tray. This makes it possible to notify workers that the storage volume has exceeded the upper limit of the appropriate range. Furthermore, if the sound is made during play, it can be used to notify game hall staff that fraudulent activity is occurring.

Means 6: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The ball circulation means is
a ball passage through which game balls are distributed;
a passage dividing portion dividing the spherical passage into a first passage portion on a downstream side and a second passage portion on an upstream side;
a bridge portion that connects the first passage portion and the second passage portion so as to straddle the passage dividing portion, and has a guide groove that extends so as to connect the first passage portion and the second passage portion, and in which game balls can roll;
and
The first passage portion has a portion near the bridge portion wider than the downstream side, and
The second passage portion is provided with an alignment portion that can align the game balls in a line near the installation portion,
When the first passage is filled with game balls and game balls are supplied from the second passage to the first passage through the installation part, the game balls leave the installation part, pass through the passage dividing part, and are discharged into a ball receiving tray outside the ball circulation means.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 6, the gaming machine comprises a gaming board having a play area where games are played using gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the play area of the gaming board, and a ball circulating means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming balls are launched by the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player. The ball circulating means comprises a ball passage through which the gaming balls flow, a passage dividing section that divides the ball passage into a first passage section downstream and a second passage section upstream, and a passage dividing section that divides the first passage section and the second passage section so as to straddle the passage dividing section. The first passage section has a guide groove that connects the first passage section and the second passage section and extends to connect the first passage section and the second passage section, and an installation section in which the game balls can roll. The first passage section is wider near the installation section than on the downstream side, and the second passage section has an alignment section near the installation section that can align the game balls in a line. When the first passage section is filled with game balls and game balls are supplied from the second passage section to the first passage section through the installation section, the game balls leave the installation section, pass through the passage dividing section, and are discharged into a ball receiving tray outside the ball circulation means.

As a result, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (for example, the number of balls held is 1 or more), the ball passage through which the gaming balls circulate is divided by a passage dividing section into a first passage section on the downstream side and a second passage section on the upstream side, and the first passage section and the second passage section are connected by an erection section so as to straddle the passage dividing section, when a player launches gaming balls and the gaming balls are circulated (distributed) by the ball circulation means, the first passage section is not filled with gaming balls, so gaming balls can circulate from the second passage section through the erection section to the first passage section. In this case, since the alignment section is provided in the portion of the second passage section near the erection section, the alignment section can increase the straightness of the game balls, making it possible for the game balls to flow straight down from the second passage section (alignment section) toward the erection section. Also, since the erection section is provided with a guide groove, it becomes possible for game balls passing through the erection section to be less likely to deviate from the erection section. Furthermore, since the portion of the first passage section near the erection section is wider than its downstream side, even if a game ball flowing down from the second passage section side to the erection section deviates from the central axis of the erection section, the game ball can be received by the widened portion of the first passage section. For these reasons, during play when game balls need to be circulated, the game balls can be circulated from the second passage section through the erection section to the first passage section, so that even if the ball passage is divided by the passage dividing section, the game balls can be reliably circulated, allowing players to enjoy playing with this gaming machine, and also preventing the game balls from running out of circulating balls (running out of balls) by being discharged from the passage dividing section, eliminating interruptions to play due to ball shortages and preventing a decline in player interest.

On the other hand, when replacing or replenishing game balls for maintenance, etc., the replenishing game balls are inserted into the second passage section. Then, when the replenishing game balls fill the first passage section of the ball passage, if additional game balls are supplied from the second passage section upstream of the first passage section through the installation section spanning the passage dividing section to the first passage section, the game balls will deviate from the installation section, pass through the passage dividing section, and be discharged into a ball receiving tray outside the ball circulation means. Specifically, because the width of the first passage section near the installation section is wider than downstream, the rearmost game ball filling the first passage section is in contact with one of the pair of wider side walls, and the center of the rearmost game ball is away from the central axis of the first passage section (the central axis of the installation section). In this state, when a game ball flows down from the second passage section through the installation section toward the first passage section, the game ball will abut against a portion of the first passage section that is away from directly behind the rearmost game ball. Since the tangent line at the part away from directly behind the game ball is not perpendicular to the flow direction of the game ball but is inclined, the inclination causes the flow direction of the game ball that has passed through the erection part to be directed in the width direction of the erection part, causing it to deviate from the erection part and be discharged outside the ball circulation means, making it easier to discharge game balls that have exceeded the upper limit of the appropriate range of storage capacity compared to when that part of the first passage part is not widened. Also, since the erection part is provided with a guide groove, the guide groove can line up the game balls, so when the first passage part is filled with game balls and multiple game balls are supplied (flow down) from the second passage part side to the erection part, the ball pressure on the game balls downstream increases as they try to line up on the erection part. [0010] Furthermore, even if the gaming balls try to move downstream toward the first passage section due to the ball pressure, they cannot move downstream because the first passage section is filled with gaming balls, so the gaming balls are pushed out in the width direction of the installation section by the ball pressure, fall off the installation section, and are discharged outside the ball circulation means through the passage dividing section. Furthermore, since an alignment section is provided near the installation section in the second passage section, even if the gaming balls are lined up on the installation section without falling off the installation section when the first passage section is filled with gaming balls, the gaming balls line up in a row in the alignment section upstream of the installation section, so that the ball pressure of the lined up gaming balls can push the gaming balls on the installation section downstream, and this pushing pressure pushes the gaming balls on the installation section that cannot move downstream in the width direction, allowing them to be discharged outside the ball circulation means. For the reasons described above, by setting the upstream end of the first passage section (the boundary between the first passage section and the erected section) as the upper limit of the appropriate range of game balls to be stored, game balls that exceed that upper limit can be automatically discharged from the passage dividing section to a ball receiving tray outside the ball circulation means. By receiving the discharged game balls in the ball receiving tray, they do not scatter, making it easier to collect game balls and providing a gaming machine that makes it easy to replace or replenish game balls during maintenance, etc. Furthermore, when discharging excess game balls, the appropriate number of circulating game balls (circulating balls) can be maintained without requiring any power to detect or discharge the game balls.

However, it is anticipated that fraudulent activity may occur during play when game balls are circulating, such as docking the gaming machine to cause the game balls to detach from the installation section and pass through the passage dividing section into a ball receiving tray outside the ball circulation means, thereby reducing the number of stored game balls. In response to this, if the alignment section provided in the second passage section is a passage with a pair of slopes, such as a V-shaped cross section or a trapezoidal shape that narrows downward, it will contact the game balls at an angle. Therefore, even if the passage (alignment section) shakes due to docking, the slope of the alignment section will allow the external force to escape diagonally upward in the direction of the game ball's movement. This makes it harder for game balls to detach from the center of the alignment section, thereby reducing the docking effect.

In addition, because the width of the first passageway near the installation section has been widened, even if a gaming ball circulating through the installation section deviates from the central axis of the installation section due to impact, the widened portion of the first passageway can catch the gaming ball, thereby reducing the impact effect.

It is desirable to smoothly connect the alignment section of the second passage section at its upstream end and at the boundary with the installation section so that the gaming balls do not bounce. This prevents the flow speed of the gaming balls from decreasing in the alignment section, allowing them to pass through the installation section quickly, minimizing the timing for collisions and providing a gaming machine that is more resistant to fraudulent activity.

In addition, when the ball receiving tray receives the game balls discharged from the ball circulation means, a sound may be made when the game balls come into contact with the tray. This makes it possible to notify workers that the storage volume has exceeded the upper limit of the appropriate range. Furthermore, if the sound is made during play, it can be used to notify game hall staff that fraudulent activity is occurring.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 6,
The gaming machine includes:
The pachinko machine is characterized in that it has a prize hole that is provided in the game area and that awards a predetermined prize when a game ball enters the prize hole.

Here, "winning opening" refers to "a general winning opening that is always open within the game area," "a starting winning opening (starting opening) that is always open within the game area and through which a special lottery is held to determine whether a game ball entering the opening will create a favorable game state that gives the player an advantage as a predetermined bonus," "a variable winning opening (variable starting opening, special winning opening, etc.) that allows game balls to enter the game area as a predetermined bonus when a game ball enters a specific receiving opening (chucker) within the game area," and "a variable winning opening (variable starting opening, special winning opening, etc.) that allows game balls to enter the game area as a predetermined bonus depending on the result of a regular lottery held when a game ball passes through a specific area (gate, through chucker, etc.) within the game area." Examples include: "a special prize opening, a bonus prize opening, etc.)," "a variable start prize opening (variable start opening) in which a game ball can enter as a specified bonus depending on the result of a regular lottery drawn when the game ball passes through a specific area within the game area (for example, a gate, a chucker, etc.), and a special lottery is held to determine whether the entry of the game ball will create an advantageous gaming state that gives the player an advantage as a specified bonus," "a V prize opening in which, when a game ball that enters a special prize opening is sorted by a sorting means and enters, creates an advantageous gaming state that gives the player an advantage as a specified bonus," and "a large prize opening or special prize opening that opens and closes in a specified pattern to allow the entry of a game ball, creating an advantageous gaming state that gives the player an advantage as a specified bonus."

Furthermore, the "pachinko machine" is one equipped with "lottery means for conducting a special lottery to generate a favorable gaming state in which the player is at an advantage as a predetermined benefit when a gaming ball enters the starting opening; special lottery result display means as a display that variably displays special symbols according to the special lottery result drawn by the lottery means and then stops and displays the special lottery result drawn from the combination of the stopped and displayed special symbols; and advantageous gaming state generating means that opens and closes the big prize opening in a predetermined pattern when the special lottery result display means displays a special lottery result that generates an advantageous gaming state (so-called digital pachinko machine)," and "distribution means for distributing gaming balls that enter the special device prize opening; and advantageous game state generating means that, when a gaming ball allocated by the allocation means enters the V prize port, opens and closes the accessory prize port in a predetermined pattern as a predetermined bonus, thereby creating an advantageous game state that gives the player an advantage (so-called "hanemono machine"). " and "have a large prize port and accessory prize port, and open or close the large prize port or accessory prize port in a predetermined pattern according to the results of a special lottery drawn when a gaming ball enters the start port (start ball entry), and when a gaming ball that has entered the accessory prize port is allocated to the V prize port, open or close the accessory prize port or large prize port in a predetermined pattern as a predetermined bonus, creating an advantageous game state that gives the player an advantage (so-called multi-function machine)."

According to the configuration of means 7, the gaming machine is a pachinko machine that has a prize slot provided in the gaming area that awards a predetermined prize when a gaming ball enters the slot. This allows the pachinko machine to achieve the effects of any of the above-mentioned means.

[15-23c. Relationship between the solution of the 23rd technical feature and embodiments]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the present invention, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulation means of the present invention, the ball serpentine passage 604 of the ball serpentine member 613A in this embodiment corresponds to the ball passage of the present invention, the first passage portion 604a of the ball serpentine passage 604 in this embodiment corresponds to the first passage of the present invention, and the second passage portion 604b of the ball serpentine passage 604 in this embodiment corresponds to the second passage portion of the present invention.

In addition, the passage dividing section 641 of the surplus ball discharge mechanism 640 in this embodiment corresponds to the passage dividing section of the present invention, the bridge section 642 in this embodiment corresponds to the bridge section of the present invention, the guide groove 642a of the bridge section 642 in this embodiment corresponds to the guide groove of the present invention, the widening section 643 in this embodiment corresponds to the widened portion of the first passage section of the present invention, the alignment section 644 in this embodiment corresponds to the alignment section of the present invention, and the ball receiving tray 720 provided below the ball serpentine member 613A in this embodiment corresponds to the ball receiving tray of the present invention.

[15-23d. Characteristic effects of the 23rd technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 that launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected by ball circulation means such as the foul unit 570, the circulation ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700, and are supplied to the ball launching unit 550. In addition, in the pachinko machine 1 (so-called enclosed game machine, managed game machine) that launches the game balls B based on the ball data of the player (for example, the number of balls held is 1 or more), the game balls B are circulated. The ball serpentine passage 604 of the ball serpentine member 613A is divided by a passage dividing section 641 into a first passage section 604a on the downstream side and a second passage section 604b on the upstream side, and the first passage section 604a and the second passage section 604b are connected by an erection section 642 so as to straddle the passage dividing section 641.Therefore, when a player shoots a game ball B and the game ball B is circulating (circulating) by the ball circulation means, the first passage section 604a is not filled with game ball B, so that the game ball B can circulate from the second passage section 604b through the erection section 642 to the first passage section 604a. In this case, since the alignment section 644 is provided in a portion of the second passage section 604b near the erection section 642, the alignment section 644 can increase the straightness of the game ball B, making it possible for the game ball B to flow straight down from the second passage section 604b (alignment section 644) toward the erection section 642. Also, since the guide groove 642a is provided in the erection section 642, it becomes possible to prevent the game ball B passing through the erection section 642 from departing from the erection section 642. Furthermore, since the widened section 643 that is wider than the downstream side is provided in a portion of the first passage section 604a near the erection section 642, even if the game ball B flowing down from the second passage section 604b side to the erection section 642 deviates from the central axis of the erection section 642, the game ball B can be received by the widened section 643 of the first passage section 604a. For these reasons, during play when game ball B needs to be circulated, game ball B can be circulated from the second passage section 604b through the erection section 642 to the first passage section 604a, so that game ball B can be reliably circulated even if the ball serpentine passage 604 is divided by the passage dividing section 641, allowing players to enjoy playing with this pachinko machine 1, and also preventing game balls B from running out of circulation (running out of balls) by being discharged from the passage dividing section 641, eliminating interruptions to play due to running out of balls and suppressing a decline in the player's interest.

On the other hand, when replacing or replenishing game balls B for maintenance or the like, the game balls B are inserted upstream of the path dividing section 641 (in this case, the power switch 751 is turned OFF, and the replenishing game balls B are inserted into the out ball receiving port 600a, the safe ball receiving port 600b, or a winning port such as the out port 1008 of the game board 5, the general winning port 2001, or the first starting port 2003). Then, when the replenishing game balls B fill the first path section 604a of the ball serpentine path 604, if more game balls B are supplied from the second path section 604b upstream of the first path section 604a to the first path section 604a side through the bridge section 642 spanning the path dividing section 641, the game balls B will leave the bridge section 642, pass through the path dividing section 641, and be discharged into the ball receiving tray 720 outside the circulating ball path unit 600. In more detail, first, since the widened portion 643 that is wider than the downstream portion is provided near the bridge portion 642 in the first passage portion 604a, the last game ball B filling the first passage portion 604a is in contact with one of the pair of side walls of the widened portion 643, and therefore the center of the last game ball B is away from the central axis of the first passage portion 604a (the central axis of the bridge portion 642). In this state, when the game ball B flows down from the second passage portion 604b through the bridge portion 642 toward the first passage portion 604a, the game ball B will come into contact with a portion of the first passage portion 604a that is away from directly behind the last game ball B. Since the tangent line at the point away from directly behind game ball B is not perpendicular to the flow direction of game ball B but is inclined, this inclination causes the flow direction of game ball B passing through erection section 642 to be directed in the width direction of erection section 642, causing it to fall from erection section 642 and be discharged into ball receiving tray 720 below ball serpentine member 613A, making it easier to discharge game balls B that exceed the upper limit of the appropriate range of storage capacity compared to when widening section 643 is not provided in first passage section 604a. Furthermore, since the guide groove 642a is provided in the erection portion 642, the guide groove 642a can line up the game balls B, and therefore, when the first passage portion 604a is filled with game balls B and multiple game balls B are supplied (flowing down) from the second passage portion 604b side to the erection portion 642, the game balls B try to line up in a line on the erection portion 642, and the ball pressure on the game balls B on the downstream side increases. Then, even if the game balls B try to move downstream to the first passage portion 604a side due to the ball pressure, they cannot move downstream because the first passage portion 604a is filled with game balls B, and therefore the game balls B are pushed out in the width direction of the erection portion 642 by the ball pressure, and are discharged out of the circulating ball path unit 600 (ball serpentine member 613A) through the passage dividing portion 641. Furthermore, since an alignment section 644 is provided near the erection section 642 in the second passage section 604b, even if the first passage section 604a is filled with game balls B and the game balls B do not fall out of the erection section 642 and are lined up on the erection section 642, the game balls B will be lined up in a row in the alignment section 644 upstream of the erection section 642, and the ball pressure of the game balls B lined up in a row will be able to press the game balls B on the erection section 642 downstream, and this pressing force will push the game balls B on the erection section 642 that cannot move downstream in the width direction and allow them to be discharged outside the ball serpentine member 613A. As described above, game balls B that have passed the upstream end of first passage section 604a (the boundary between first passage section 604a and erected section 642), which is the upper limit of the appropriate range for stored game balls B, can be automatically discharged from passage dividing section 641 to ball receiving tray 720 outside ball serpentine member 613A. By receiving the discharged game balls B in ball receiving tray 720, they do not scatter, making it easier to collect game balls B and providing a pachinko machine 1 that facilitates the replacement or replenishment of game balls B during maintenance, etc. Furthermore, when discharging surplus game balls B, the appropriate number of circulating game balls B (circulating balls) can be maintained without requiring any power for detecting or discharging game balls B.

It is anticipated that during play while game balls B are circulating, fraudulent activity may occur in which pachinko machine 1 is docked, causing game balls B to fall from support section 642 and pass through path dividing section 641 into ball receiving tray 720 below ball serpentine member 613A, thereby reducing the number of stored game balls B. In response to this, alignment section 644 provided in second path section 604b is a path with a pair of slopes, such as a V-shaped or downwardly narrowing trapezoidal cross section, that contacts game ball B at an angle. Therefore, even if ball serpentine path 604 (alignment section 644) shakes due to a bang, the slope of alignment section 644 allows the external force to escape diagonally upward relative to the direction of travel of game ball B. This makes it difficult for game ball B to fall out of the center of alignment section 644, thereby reducing the banging effect.

In addition, a wide widened portion 643 is provided near the bridge portion 642 of the first passage portion 604a. Even if a game ball B circulating through the bridge portion 642 deviates from the central axis of the bridge portion 642 due to impact, the game ball B can be received by the widened portion 643 of the first passage portion 604a, thereby reducing the impact effect.

Furthermore, in the alignment section 644 of the second passage section 604b, the game balls B are smoothly connected at the upstream end and at the boundary with the erection section 642 to prevent them from bouncing. This prevents a decrease in the circulation speed of the game balls B in the alignment section 644, allowing them to pass through the erection section 642 quickly, minimizing the timing for a bang, and providing a pachinko machine 1 that is easy to prevent fraudulent activity from being achieved.

In addition, the bottom wall of the ball receiving tray 720 is designed to be the upper bottom, and a sound is made when the game ball B discharged from the ball serpentine member 613A comes into contact with it. This sound can alert workers that the storage amount has exceeded the upper limit of the appropriate range. Furthermore, if a sound is made during play, it can alert game hall staff that fraudulent activity is occurring.

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 the application 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.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the pachinko machine 1 is shown as being applied to a so-called enclosed gaming machine or a controlled gaming machine, in which the player does not come into contact with the gaming ball B. However, this is not limited to this, and the machine may also be applied to a gaming machine in which the player can come into contact with the gaming ball B, and in this case, the same effects as those described above can be achieved. An example of such a gaming machine is a pachinko machine in which gaming balls stored in a tray on a door frame are shot into a playing area on a gaming board by the player's operation, and the shot gaming balls are received into a winning slot provided in the playing area, and a predetermined number of gaming balls corresponding to the winning slot are paid out onto the tray on the door frame.

1 Pachinko machine 2 Outer frame 3 Door frame 4 Main body frame 5 Game board 5a Game area 550 Ball launching unit (ball launching means)
570 Foul Unit (ball circulation means)
600 Circulation ball path unit (ball circulation means)
604 Spherical Serpentine Passage (Spherical Passage)
604a First passage section 604b Second passage section 613A Ball serpentine member 640 Excess ball discharge mechanism 641 Passage dividing section 642 Bridge section 642a Guide groove 643 Widening section 644 Alignment section 650 Ball lifting unit (ball circulation means)
700 Ball sending unit (ball circulation means)

Claims (1)

A gaming machine capable of awarding a bonus to a player based on the result of a lottery,
A specific performance unit electrically connectable to the gaming machine;
a control means capable of performing predetermined error control;
Equipped with
The specific performance unit is not detachable by the player, but is a specific decorative part that has a plurality of light-emitting units and constitutes a part of the gaming machine,
the control means is capable of executing specific error control corresponding to a specific abnormality when the specific abnormality occurs,
Even if the specific performance unit becomes disconnected while the specific error control is being executed , the specific error control can be continued without generating an error corresponding to the specific performance unit becoming disconnected,
When the specific error control is being executed when the specific performance unit is connected, it is permitted to perform a light emitting operation based on the specific error control using the plurality of light emitting units of the connected specific performance unit,
When the specific performance unit is connected during execution of the specific error control, it is possible to reflect the light-emitting operation based on the specific error control in the plurality of light-emitting units of the specific performance unit at the time the specific performance unit is connected without requiring any operation,
Furthermore, a predetermined movable body;
a game limiting means for limiting the progress of a game based on the count value relating to the awarded game value reaching a specific value;
the predetermined movable body is configured to be able to perform a predetermined power-on operation when power is supplied,
When the power is cut off while the game is in a game restriction state in which game progress is restricted, and when power is subsequently supplied, the game restriction state may be canceled or the game restriction state may continue without being canceled, depending on the mode of the administrator operation performed at the time of the power supply.
A gaming machine characterized in that, even if the game restriction state continues without being resolved after power is supplied, the predetermined movable body can perform a power-on operation during the game restriction state.