JP7777307B2 - gaming machines - Google Patents

Description

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

In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there is known a stage that rolls a gaming ball from side to side and has a high probability of landing in a winning hole such as a starting hole when the gaming ball is released downward from a specific portion with a predetermined probability (for example, Patent Document 1). This stage is made up of multiple members, each of which is screwed to a member attached to the front of the gaming board.

However, if the component on the stage on which the game ball rolls is screwed, the component is forcibly fixed by the screw, which can cause distortion due to physical stress, and the game ball may no longer roll as designed, or the game ball may no longer be released from the designated location with the designed probability.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-166841

In light of the above situation, the present invention aims to provide an amusement machine that can improve the accuracy of rolling and releasing game balls on the stage.

Means of the present invention: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board that has a gaming ball flow area on the front side, and a center device that is attached to the gaming board and has a predetermined stage part on which the gaming ball can roll left and right,
The center part has a demolding trace portion generated during the molding process,
The stage portion is configured to roll the game ball left and right and then drop the game ball toward a specific area,
The stage portion is
A first member that is attached to the game board and also serves as a front wall of a ball flow path for game balls rolling on the stage portion;
A second member constituting a bottom wall of the spherical flow path;
a third member constituting a rear wall of the spherical flow path;
Equipped with
the second member is made of a single member,
The first member and the third member are fastened together with screws,
the second member is sandwiched between the first member and the third member, is not screwed to either of them, and is positioned by positioning means consisting of a positioning pin and a positioning hole,
The second member has a contact area with which the game ball comes into contact and a non-contact area with which the game ball does not come into contact, and the demolding trace portion of the second member is provided in the non-contact area,
The third member has a special area where the game ball may come into contact and a non-special area where the game ball does not come into contact, and the demolding trace portion of the third member is provided in the non-special area,
The second member has a rolling portion on which the game balls roll, and a central release portion that can cause the game balls rolling on the rolling portion to fall toward the specific area, and at least a portion of the demolding trace portion of the second member is provided so as to be approximately symmetrical with respect to the imaginary center line of the central release portion.
It is characterized by:
The following means are exemplified as inventions other than the present invention.
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine having a ball circulation mechanism that circulates game balls without discharging them outside the gaming machine and allows them to be used for games,
A ball grinding unit having a ball grinding member that grinds the game balls in the ball circulation mechanism;
and a mounting portion to which the ball grinding unit can be detached,
With the ball grinding unit attached to the attachment part, both the ball dirt adhesion part where ball dirt generated by game balls coming into contact with the ball grinding member adheres and the ball dirt non-adhesion part where game balls do not come into contact and ball dirt cannot adhere are made visible from outside the ball circulation mechanism.
It is characterized by:

Here, a "ball circulation mechanism" is a mechanism that can collect game balls that have flowed down below the play area where game balls are played and supply them to a ball launcher that launches the game balls into the play area, and is a mechanism that circulates game balls within the game machine. These game balls are not discharged outside the game machine.

Examples of "ball-shaped components" include "endless belt-shaped components," "endless belt-shaped components," "flat or mat-shaped components," and "annular or cylindrical components." Examples of materials for "ball-shaped components" include "cloth such as woven or nonwoven fabric," "sponge-like synthetic resin foam material," "tanned leather," and "spongy."

Further examples of "ball bearing units" include "container-shaped (cassette-shaped) units in which a ball bearing member is attached so that it has a portion exposed to the outside," and "units in which an annular ball has an axial portion inserted into a cylindrical ball bearing member."

The relationship between the "ball soil adhesion portion" and the "ball soil non-adhesion portion" can be exemplified by "the ball soil adhesion portion and the ball soil non-adhesion portion are adjacent and located on the same surface," "the ball soil adhesion portion and the ball soil non-adhesion portion are adjacent and located on different surfaces," "the ball soil adhesion portion and the ball soil non-adhesion portion are not adjacent but located on different surfaces," and "the ball soil adhesion portion and the ball soil non-adhesion portion appear to be adjacent when viewed from the outside." The "ball soil non-adhesion portion" may be located on the ball polishing member, or on another component other than the ball polishing member that makes up the ball polishing unit, or on the mounting portion to which the ball polishing unit is mounted.

Furthermore, the configuration in which both the ball soiling area and the ball soiling non-adhering area are "visible from the outside" may be such that they are visible through a transparent member, or through an opening such as a hole or notch that penetrates the member.

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine with a ball circulation mechanism that circulates gaming balls without discharging them outside the gaming machine, allowing them to be used in games. The machine includes a ball polishing unit with a ball polishing member that polishes the gaming balls in the ball circulation mechanism, and a mounting section to which the ball polishing unit can be detached. When the ball polishing unit is mounted on the mounting section, both the ball soiling portion, where ball soiling occurs when the gaming ball comes into contact with the ball polishing member and adheres, and the ball soiling non-adherence portion, where ball soiling does not occur and where ball soiling cannot adhere, are visible from outside the ball circulation mechanism. (In the "Embodiment of the Invention," see chapter "4-5-1. Modified Examples of Ball Polishing Cassette," the ball lifting mechanism 660, ball polishing cassette 800, ball polishing cloth 804, ball soiling adhesion portion 804a, ball soiling non-adherence portion 804b, Figures 54-1 to 54-13 and 54-15, etc.)

With this configuration, when the ball grinding unit is attached to the mounting portion of the ball circulation mechanism in the gaming machine, both the ball soiling portion and the ball non-soiling portion of the ball grinding member provided on the ball grinding unit can be seen from the outside. This allows the degree of dirt on the ball grinding member to be confirmed by comparing the color of the ball soiling portion, which has come into contact with the game ball and has ball soiling attached, with the color of the ball non-soiling portion, which has not come into contact with the game ball and cannot have ball soiling attached.

More specifically, if the color of the non-ball soiling area is the same as the ball soiling area before the ball soiling adheres, the color will become darker when ball soiling adheres to the ball soiling area. In other words, the color of the ball soiling area to which ball soiling has adhered will be darker than the color of the non-ball soiling area. With this configuration, both the ball soiling area and the non-ball soiling area can be seen simultaneously, making the difference in color clearly visible and allowing the degree of soiling of the ball-bearing member to be reliably confirmed.

Alternatively, if the color of the non-soiling portion is made the same as the color of the soiled portion that has become soiled and is due for replacement, when soil is deposited on the soiled portion, the color will darken, and when the polishing member needs to be replaced, the color will deepen and become even darker. This configuration allows both the soiled portion and the non-soiling portion to be visually confirmed at the same time, making it possible to check the degree of soiling of the polishing member, and if the soiled portion and the non-soiling portion appear to be the same color, it can be determined that the polishing member needs to be replaced.

Furthermore, with this configuration, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member can be checked from the outside while the ball polishing member is still attached to the mounting part, so there is no need to remove the ball polishing unit from the mounting part for checking, which simplifies the maintenance work. In other words, it is possible to improve the maintainability of ball polishing using the ball polishing member.

The color of the ball-soiling component before ball dirt adheres to it can be a specified light color, and the non-ball-soiling component can have a light-colored portion that is the same as or similar to the color of the ball-soiling component before ball dirt adheres to it. This means that when ball dirt adheres to the ball-soiling component, the color of the ball-soiling component becomes darker than the light-colored portion of the non-ball-soiling component, so the degree of dirt on the ball-soiling component can be confirmed by comparing the color of the ball-soiling component with the color of the light-colored portion.

In addition, the color of the ball polishing component after ball dirt has adhered to it can be a specified dark color, and the non-ball dirt-adherent portion can have a dark portion that is the same as or similar to the color of the ball polishing component after ball dirt has adhered to it.In this way, the non-ball dirt-adherent portion has a dark portion that is the same as or similar to the color of the ball dirt-adherent portion, which has become dark due to ball dirt.As a result, when ball dirt adheres to the ball dirt-adherent portion, its color will approach the color of the dark portion of the non-ball dirt-adherent portion, making it possible to check the degree of dirt on the ball polishing component, and if the color of the ball dirt-adherent portion and the dark portion appear to be the same color, it can be determined that it is time to replace the ball polishing component.

Furthermore, the ball polishing member may be made of a strip of cloth that is retractable at the portion that comes into contact with the game ball. As a result, since the ball polishing member is made of a strip of cloth that can be retracted, the portion that comes into contact with the game ball can be moved. Compared to a case in which the ball polishing member does not move, this allows the game ball to come into contact with various portions of the ball polishing member, resulting in ball dirt being deposited. This extends the replacement interval for the ball polishing member and improves the ease of maintenance required for ball polishing.

Furthermore, when the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped cloth as described above, it has a higher tensile strength than when the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped sponge. Therefore, by feeding the ball-bearing member out while it is in contact with the game ball, even if tension is applied to the ball-bearing member, problems such as the ball-bearing member breaking will not occur. This does not reduce maintainability, and ball dirt from the game balls can be effectively wiped away.

Furthermore, if the ball polishing member is made of a strip of cloth, it may be designed to be retractable from the ball polishing unit. This allows the ball polishing member, made of a strip of cloth, to be pulled out from the ball polishing unit, so that the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member can be checked by comparing the color of the surface (the part where ball dirt has adhered) and the color of the back surface (the part where ball dirt has not adhered) of the pulled-out part of the ball polishing member.

Furthermore, if the ball bearing member is removable from the ball bearing unit as described above and the strip-shaped ball bearing member is made into an endless belt, when one side of the ball bearing member is pulled out of the ball bearing unit, the opposite side of the pulled-out ball bearing member is retracted into the ball bearing unit, allowing the entire circumference of the ball bearing member to be checked. This makes it possible to check whether ball dirt is evenly adhered around the entire circumference of the ball bearing member, which can be used as one way to determine when the ball bearing member should be replaced, and also allows for checking whether the ball bearing member has any defects such as scratches or tears.

Furthermore, when the grinding member is a strip of cloth as described above, the grinding member may be configured so that it can be manually fed out from outside the grinding unit. This allows the grinding member to be manually fed out from the outside, so if the grinding member is loose when attaching the grinding unit to the attachment part, the slack can be manually removed from the grinding member. Also, in this case, if the grinding member is pulled out from the grinding unit during manufacturing (assembly) or maintenance of the grinding unit, the pulled-out portion can be manually stored inside the grinding unit.

The ball polishing unit may also have an opening that penetrates the side, allowing both sides of the ball polishing member to be visible from the outside through the opening. This provides an opening on the side of the ball polishing unit that allows both sides of the ball polishing member (the dirty ball area and the non-dirty ball area) to be visible, allowing both sides of the ball polishing member to be directly visible through the opening. Therefore, for example, if the ball polishing member (the dirty ball area and the non-dirty ball area) is normally visible through a transparent portion, even if the ball polishing member becomes difficult to see through the transparent portion for some reason, both sides of the ball polishing member can be seen through the opening, allowing the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member to be reliably confirmed.

The ball polishing member may also have multiple raised naps. As a result, when the ball polishing member is used to polish the game ball, the nap flows in a certain direction. In this state, if a malfunction or damage occurs in the game ball, the ball circulation mechanism, or the ball polishing unit, and the contact between the ball polishing member and the game ball changes, the constant flow of the nap may change in some places, or the nap may stand up. Therefore, when performing maintenance, it is possible to know if a malfunction has occurred by checking the state of the nap on the ball polishing member.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The color of the ball-grinding member before the ball dirt adheres is a predetermined light color,
The non-soiling portion has a light color that is the same as or similar to the color of the ball-bearing member before the ball soil adheres to it.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "light-colored portion" may be provided on the ball member, or on other components of the ball unit excluding the ball member, or on the mounting portion where the ball unit is mounted. Furthermore, the "light-colored portion" may be the original color of the ball member, the color of other components of the ball unit excluding the ball member, the color of the mounting portion where the ball unit is mounted, or it may be a sticker, painted, or printed.

Method 2 is configured so that the color of the polishing member before ball soiling adheres is a predetermined light color, and the non-soiled portion has a light-colored portion that is the same as or similar to the color of the polishing member before ball soiling adheres (see the description of the polishing cloth 804, light-colored portion 809a, Figures 54-6, 54-9, 54-10, and 54-12 in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, the original color of the ball-container is a light color, and the non-ball-contamination area has a light-colored area that is the same color as or similar to the original color of the ball-container. Therefore, when ball dirt adheres to the ball-contamination area, the color of the ball-contamination area becomes darker than the color of the light-colored area of the non-ball-contamination area. Therefore, by comparing the color of the ball-contamination area with the color of the light-colored area, the degree of dirt on the ball-container can be confirmed.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The color of the ball-bearing member after the ball dirt adheres is a predetermined dark color,
The non-soiling portion has a dark color that is the same as or similar to the color of the ball-bearing member after ball soiling has adhered to it.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "dark colored portion" may be provided on the ball bearing member, or on other components excluding the ball bearing member that make up the ball bearing unit, or on the mounting portion where the ball bearing unit is attached. Furthermore, the "dark colored portion" may be the original color of the ball bearing member, the color of other components excluding the ball bearing member that make up the ball bearing unit, the color of the mounting portion where the ball bearing unit is attached, or it may be a sticker, painted, or printed.

Method 3 is configured so that the color of the polishing member after ball soiling is a predetermined dark color, and the non-soiled portion has a dark color that is the same as or similar to the color of the polishing member after ball soiling has adhered (see the description of the polishing cloth 804, dark portion 809b, Figures 54-4, 54-9, 54-11, and 54-13 in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, the non-soiling area has a dark area that is the same color as or similar to the color of the soiled area that has become dark due to soiling. Therefore, when soiling of the ball adheres to the soiled area, its color approaches the color of the dark area of the non-soiling area. This allows you to check the soiling level of the ball component, and if the soiled area and the dark area appear to be the same color, you can determine that it is time to replace the ball component.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 3,
"The spherical member is
It is a strip of cloth that is provided so that the part that comes into contact with the game ball can be released.
It is characterized by:

Here, "deliverable" means "when the belt-shaped ball-bearing member is an endless belt, the ball-bearing member rotates" or "when the belt-shaped ball-bearing member is an endless belt, the ball-bearing member moves from one side to the other or from the other side to one side," etc.

Furthermore, the "cloth" may be woven or nonwoven.

However, if the ball bearing member is immovable, the game balls will continue to contact the same position on the ball bearing member, causing the ball bearing member to become dirty early and shortening the replacement interval, resulting in a problem of reduced maintainability.

In the configuration of means 4, the ball polishing member is a strip of cloth with a portion that comes into contact with the game ball and is capable of being released (see the description of ball polishing cloth 804, dark portion 809b, and Figures 54-1 to 54-15 in the [Embodiment]).

With this configuration, the ball polishing member is made of a strip of cloth that can be fed out, allowing the part that comes into contact with the game ball to move. This allows the game ball to come into contact with various parts of the ball polishing member, resulting in ball dirt adhering, compared to when the ball polishing member does not move, which extends the replacement interval for the ball polishing member and improves the ease of maintenance required for ball polishing.

In addition, because the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped cloth, it has a higher tensile strength than when the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped sponge. As a result, by feeding the ball-bearing member while it is in contact with the ball, problems such as the ball-bearing member breaking even when tension is applied to the ball-bearing member do not occur, maintaining ease of maintenance and allowing for effective wiping of ball dirt from the ball.

Means 5: In the configuration of Means 4,
"The spherical member is
It is provided so that it can be withdrawn from the ball grinding unit.
It is characterized by:

In the configuration of Means 5, a strip-shaped polishing member is provided so that it can be pulled out from the polishing unit (see the description of the polishing cloth 804, Figure 54-7, and chapter 4-5-1f. Checking the dirt on the polishing cloth 2 in the "Description of the Invention" section).

With this configuration, the ball polishing member, which is made of a strip of cloth, can be pulled out from the ball polishing unit, so the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member can be checked by comparing the color of the surface (the part where ball dirt has adhered) and the color of the back surface (the part where ball dirt has not adhered) of the pulled-out part of the ball polishing member.

Furthermore, if the belt-shaped ball bearing member is an endless belt, when one side of the ball bearing member is pulled out of the ball bearing unit, the other side of the pulled-out ball bearing member will be retracted into the ball bearing unit, allowing the entire circumference of the ball bearing member to be checked. This makes it possible to check whether ball dirt is evenly adhered around the entire circumference of the ball bearing member, which can be used as one way to determine when the ball bearing member should be replaced, and also allows for checking whether the ball bearing member has any defects such as scratches or tears.

Means 6: In the configuration of means 4 or means 5,
"The spherical member is
It is provided so that it can be manually delivered from outside the ball mill unit.
It is characterized by:

Here, examples of configurations that can be manually fed include "a tool hole at the end of the shaft of the gear that feeds the ball member into which the tip of a screwdriver can be inserted," "a gear shaft that feeds the ball member protrudes outward so that it can be turned with fingers," and "a handle that can be used to turn the gear that feeds the ball member."

In the configuration of means 6, a strip-shaped ball-grinding member is provided so that it can be manually fed from outside the ball-grinding unit (see the description of the ball-grinding feed gear 806, ball-grinding driven gear 807, and Figure 54-5 in the [Embodiment]).

With this configuration, the ball bearing member can be manually pushed out from the outside, so if the ball bearing member is loose when attaching the ball bearing unit to the attachment part, the slack can be removed manually. Furthermore, if the ball bearing member is pulled out of the ball bearing unit during manufacturing (assembly) or maintenance of the ball bearing unit, the pulled-out portion can be manually stored inside the ball bearing unit.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations of means 4 to 6,
"The Kuma unit is
having an opening extending through the side surface;
Both surfaces of the ball bearing member are visible from the outside through the opening.
It is characterized by:

However, when the ball components of the ball unit are made visible from the outside through a transparent part, if the transparent part has scratches or dirt, or if the transparent part reflects light, the ball components may not be visible well, making it difficult to check the degree of dirt on the ball components.

In the configuration of Means 7, the ball grinding unit has an opening that penetrates the side, and both sides of the ball grinding member can be seen from the outside through the opening (see the description of the opening 801s of the cassette body 801, the opening 802i of the cassette lid 802, and Figure 54-5 in the [Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, an opening is provided on the side of the ball polishing unit that allows both sides of the ball polishing member (the dirty ball adhesion portion and the non-dirty ball adhesion portion) to be viewed, allowing both sides of the ball polishing member to be directly viewed through the opening. Therefore, for example, if the ball polishing member (the dirty ball adhesion portion and the non-dirty ball adhesion portion) is normally visible through a transparent portion, even if the ball polishing member becomes difficult to see through the transparent portion for some reason, both sides of the ball polishing member can be viewed through the opening, allowing the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member to be reliably confirmed.

Means 8: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to means 7,
"The spherical member is
It has multiple naps.”
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 8, the polishing member has multiple raised naps (see the description of the polishing cloth 804 in the "Description of the Invention").

With this configuration, the ball polishing member has raised nap, so when the ball is polished with the ball polishing member, the nap flows in a certain direction. In this state, if a malfunction or damage occurs in the game ball, ball circulation mechanism, or ball polishing unit, and the contact between the ball polishing member and the game ball changes, the constant flow of the nap will change in parts, or the nap will stand up. This makes it possible to know if a malfunction has occurred by checking the state of the nap on the ball polishing member during maintenance, etc.

Means 9: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 8,
The gaming machine includes:
The pachinko machine is characterized in that a prize opening into which the game balls can enter is provided in the game area where games are played using the game balls circulated by the ball circulation mechanism, and a predetermined bonus is awarded when the game ball enters the prize opening.

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 lottery is held to determine whether a special symbol will be drawn to determine whether a game ball entering the opening will create a favorable game state for the player as a predetermined bonus," "a variable winning opening (variable starting opening, special winning opening, etc.) that allows a game ball to enter the game area as a predetermined bonus when the 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 a game ball to enter the game area as a predetermined bonus depending on the result of a lottery to determine a normal symbol when the game ball passes through a specific area (gate, through chucker, etc.) within the game area." Examples include: "a special prize opening, etc.)," "a variable start prize opening (variable start opening) in which a game ball can enter as a predetermined bonus depending on the result of a lottery for a normal symbol drawn when the game ball passes through a specific area within the game area (for example, a gate, a chucker, etc.), and a lottery for a special symbol is held to determine whether the entry of the game ball will create an advantageous gaming state in which the player is at an advantage as a predetermined 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 in which the player is at an advantage as a predetermined bonus," and "a large prize opening or special prize opening that opens and closes in a predetermined pattern to allow the entry of a game ball, creating an advantageous gaming state in which the player is at an advantage as a predetermined bonus."

Furthermore, the "pachinko machine" is one that includes "lottery means for drawing a lottery for a special symbol to generate a favorable gaming state in which the player is advantageous as a predetermined benefit when a gaming ball enters the starting opening; special lottery result display means as a display that variably displays the special symbol according to the lottery result of the special symbol drawn by the lottery means, and then stops and displays the special symbol, which is drawn based on 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 the special lottery result that generates the favorable gaming state (so-called digital pachinko machine)," and "distribution means for distributing gaming balls that enter the bonus prize openings." 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"); "has a large prize port and an accessory prize port, and opens and closes the large prize port or accessory prize port in a predetermined pattern depending on the results of a lottery for a special pattern 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, opens and closes 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 9, the gaming machine is a pachinko machine in which a prize opening into which gaming balls can enter is provided in a gaming area where games are played using gaming balls circulated by a ball circulation mechanism, and a predetermined bonus is awarded when a gaming ball enters the prize opening. This allows the pachinko machine to achieve the effects of any of the above-mentioned means.

Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can improve the accuracy of rolling and releasing gaming balls on the stage .

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. 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. (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. FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a ball grinding cassette according to a second embodiment. This is an exploded perspective view of the ball grinding cassette of Figure 54-1 as seen from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the ball grinding cassette of Figure 54-1 as seen from the rear. (a) is a front view of the ball polishing cassette of Figure 54-1 in a state where dirt has adhered to the ball polishing cloth, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line U-U in (b). 54-1的球形托盘的左侧面图，(b)是图54-1的球形托盘的右侧面图。 54-1 (a) is a left side view of the ball polishing cassette, (b) is a right side view of the ball polishing cassette. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the state when no dirt has adhered to the ball polishing cloth, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state when a certain amount of dirt has adhered to the ball polishing cloth, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the state when dirt has adhered to the ball polishing cloth and it is time to replace it. 1 is a perspective view of a ball polishing cassette with a portion of the ball polishing cloth pulled out. FIG. This is an oblique view showing an enlarged portion of the ball polishing cassette from the front with the ball polishing cassette attached to the main body frame. These are explanatory diagrams showing the degree of dirt on a ball polishing cloth having a dark colored portion, where (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a state where no dirt has adhered to the ball polishing cloth, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a certain amount of dirt has adhered to the ball polishing cloth, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a state where the ball polishing cloth has adhered to dirt and it is time to replace it. This is a front view of a ball-shaped cassette showing a bright colored portion made of a sticker attached to the front of the cassette body. This is a front view of a ball-shaped cassette showing a dark colored portion made of a sticker attached to the front of the cassette body. This is a front view showing an enlarged view of the main parts of the main body frame with a ball polishing cassette attached to the ball lifting unit and a brightly colored sticker portion attached near the ball polishing cassette. This is a front view showing an enlarged view of the main parts of the main body frame with a ball polishing cassette attached to the ball lifting unit and a dark-colored area made of a sticker attached near the ball polishing cassette. 1A is a left side view of the cassette lid of the ball-shaped cassette shown together with the identification mark, and FIG. 1B is a right side view of the cassette body of the ball-shaped cassette shown together with the identification mark. FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a ball grinding cassette according to a third embodiment. 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. 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 process of adding balls in possession due to foul balls. 10 is a flowchart showing a launch control process. 10 is a time chart showing the operation of the launch solenoid and the ball delivery solenoid in the launch sequence. 67A is a flowchart showing a launch control process different from that of FIG. 67, and FIG. 67B is a flowchart showing the balls held subtraction process in the case of the launch control process of FIG. 67A. 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. (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 front view of the game board, showing the transparent center gimmicks and other parts as opaque. FIG. 80 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 79 as seen from the front right. FIG. 80 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 79 as seen from the front left. FIG. 80 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 79 from the rear. This is an exploded oblique view of the game board in Figure 79, broken down into its main components and viewed from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the game board of Figure 79, broken down 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. (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 79, 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 79, as viewed from the back. FIG. 87 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly shown in FIG. 86 broken down into its main components as seen from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the assembly shown in Figure 86, broken down into its main components and viewed from the rear. (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. This is an oblique view of the center device of the game board as seen from the front. This is an oblique view of the center device of the game board from behind. (a) is a front view of the stage unit in the center prop, and (b) is a rear view of the stage unit in the center prop. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the stage unit as seen from the front. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the stage unit as seen from behind. FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view showing a main part of the stage unit. (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line TA in Figure 97, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CH in Figure 97, (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line Z in Figure 97, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along line TTE in Figure 97. 10A to 10E are explanatory diagrams showing various aspects of demolding traces. (a) is a front view of the first member having demolding traces on both the front and rear sides of the stage unit of the center role piece, and (b) is a back view of the first member having demolding traces on both the front and rear sides of the stage unit. (a) is a front view of a second member in which a demolding trace portion is provided only on the rear side of the stage unit, and (b) is a back view of a second member in which a demolding trace portion is provided only on the rear side of the stage unit. (a) is a front view of a third member in which a demolding trace portion is provided only on the front side of the stage unit, and (b) is a rear view of the third member in which a demolding trace portion is provided only on the front side of the stage unit. 102(a) is a plan view of a second member in which a demolding trace portion is provided in a different position from that in FIG. 101, and FIG. 102(b) is a front view of a third member in which a demolding trace portion is provided in a different position from that in FIG. This is an explanatory diagram showing a center device with a demolding trace portion on the front side, along with a game board. FIG. 95 is a front view showing a part of a stage unit of a second embodiment different from FIG. 94 etc. 106A is a perspective view of the stage unit of FIG. 105 as seen from the front, and FIG. 106B is a perspective view of the stage unit of FIG. 106A as seen from the back. FIG. 106 is an exploded perspective view of the stage unit of FIG. 105 as seen from the front. FIG. 106 is an exploded perspective view of the stage unit of FIG. 105 as seen from behind. 105, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 105, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line NU-NU in FIG. 105. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear first rising and falling decoration moved from its normal state to an intermediate position between the standby position at the bottom and the raised position at the top. This is a front view of the game board showing the second rear rising decoration moved from its normal state to an intermediate position between the standby position at the bottom and the raised position at the top. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of the game board. This is a front view showing the game board attached to the main frame together with the outer frame. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the game board locking member provided on the game board in Figure 113 in the unlocked position, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the game board locking member in the locked position from the unlocked position in (a). (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the game board locking member provided on the main body frame in Figure 113 in the unlocked position, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the game board locking member in the locked position from the unlocked position in (a). (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the game board locking member and the teaching unit, which is different from that in Figure 113, in the unlocked position, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state from the unlocked position in (a) to the locked position. 1 is an exploded oblique view of the game board from the front, showing the front components, function display unit, and game panel separated. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the game board from behind, with the front components, function display unit, and game panel separated. FIG. 1A is a front view of the inner rail unit in the front component, and FIG. 1B is a rear view of the inner rail unit in the front component. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the ball backflow prevention unit installed at the tip of the inner rail unit when the backflow prevention member is in the open state, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the ball backflow prevention unit installed at the tip of the inner rail unit when the backflow prevention member is in the closed state, (c) is a front view of the backflow prevention member, and (d) is a rear view of the backflow prevention member. FIG. 10 is an explanatory perspective view of the constituent member, showing the certificate stamp pasting section and the certificate stamp base separated from each other; (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the first information display part of the game board and the first information sticker base in the aforementioned component parts disassembled and shown in an oblique view with the demolding traces marked on each, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing in cross section the relationship between the demolding traces and the protrusions on the first information sticker base. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the certificate stamp base as a decorative element in the front component, seen from behind. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the functional display unit mounting portion together with the functional display unit in an exploded perspective view seen from behind with the front component and the functional display unit separated; FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the function display unit as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the function display unit as seen from the rear. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the first case, seen from behind, in which a demolding trace is provided at the location of the LED hole. An explanatory diagram showing the lower back of a pachinko machine in which a specific screw portion is provided. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the area where multiple specific screw portions are provided at the bottom of the back of the pachinko machine, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in (a). This is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which a pachinko machine is installed on the island equipment of an amusement hall and the wire of the opening prevention device is attached to a specific screw portion. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a molding mark is provided as a specific part near a specific screw part, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which an engraving is provided as a specific part near a specific screw part, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a sticker is attached as a specific part near a specific screw part. (a) is a rear view of a partition member that forms part of the front component of the game board, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of the partition member of (a) in an oblique view from behind together with a transparent game panel, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic cross-section of the relationship between the partition member and the game panel. 131 in which a separate member is not provided inside the recess, and FIG. 131(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of an example in which a separate member is provided inside the recess, as compared to FIG. 131(a). (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the relationship between a partition member having a step between the outer wall and the inner wall and the reinforcing wall and a game panel, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the relationship between a partition member having an outer wall extending rearward and no step between the inner wall and the reinforcing wall and a game panel, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the relationship between a partition member having an outer wall extending rearward and a step between the inner wall and the reinforcing wall and a game panel. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the relationship between a partition member that forms part of the front component of the game board and the game panel, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) from the back, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of the partition member from the rear in an oblique view. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a partition member from the back side, which has a specific non-contact part of a different shape from that of Figure 134; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a partition member from the back side, which has a specific contact part of a different shape from that of Figure 134; and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a partition member from the back side, which has the specific non-contact part of (a) and the specific contact part of (b). 1A is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic cross section of a partition member having steps between the outer and inner walls and the reinforcing wall, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing FIG. 1A from the back. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic cross section of a partition member in which the outer wall extends rearward and there is no step between the inner wall and the reinforcing wall, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) from the back. 1A is a rear view of the game board shown together with a portion of the harness section, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the main part of FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic relationship between a substrate and a plurality of harness portions; FIG.

[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 a 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 fore-and-aft 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 portion 45d provided on the header panel 45, this is not limited to this and it may also be provided on the lower frame 14, the sliding plate 46, etc. When providing the guide display portion 45d on the lower frame 14, it may be possible to, for example, attach a sticker, stamp with ink, or brand it. When providing the guide display portion 45d on the sliding plate 46, it may be possible to, for example, make a recessed marking 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 the game area 5a of the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 is visible when closed, 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 a car 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 63).

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 received from 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 and settled.

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 amount of 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 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 lending device 8 is equipped with an insertion slot for inserting cash or prepaid cards, etc., a card slot for inserting/removing IC cards, a ball lending button switch 8a, a return button switch, a display unit that displays the amount inserted and the number of counted balls, etc. When cash or the like is inserted into the insertion slot and the ball lending button switch 8a is pressed, the game ball 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 left. Figure 27(a) is a perspective view of the launching unit cover of the ball launching unit as seen from the rear left, 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 firing 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 at ball launch pad 552b. When game ball B is no longer present, it is determined that the game ball 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.

[4-3. Foul Unit]
The foul unit 570 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 29 to 31. Figure 29(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 30(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 31(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 34 (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 34 (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 32 to 34. Figure 32(a) is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and Figure 32(b) is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. Figure 33(a) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and Figure 33(b) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. Figure 34(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 34(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 34(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 34 (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 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 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 third embodiment of the foul unit 570 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 above-described foul unit 570. 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, although this is not shown.

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.

[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 35 to 42. Figure 35(a) is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and Figure 35(b) is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. Figure 36 is an exploded perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from the front, and Figure 37 is an exploded perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from the rear. Figure 38(a) is a plan view showing only the ball serpentine member and ball removal shutter in the circulation ball path unit, and Figure 38(b) is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from the front. Figure 39 (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 40(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 41(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 42 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 storage passage 604 that is connected to the downstream ends of the out ball passage 601, safe ball passage 602, and foul ball passage 603 and whose downstream end is the ball release port 600d.

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 storage passage 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 handed over to the downstream ball storage 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 storage 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 portion of the downstream ball storage 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 storage passage 604 capable of storing a large number of game balls B. As shown in Figure 38, etc., the ball serpentine member 613 is made up of 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 bends to the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the second straight portion 613c and then bends 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 storage 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 game balls B, allowing debris and dust to be expelled from the ball storage 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 storage 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 balls 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 from the ball serpentine member 613 (ball storage passage 604) to the outside, or to prevent game balls B that are not compatible with the ball storage passage 604 or illegal game balls B from being inserted from the 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 section 613c of the ball serpentine member 613. Through this opening 614a, the foul ball passage 603 can communicate with the ball storage 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 removal shutter 615 is attached to the ball serpentine member 613, the pair of rail portions 613q of the ball serpentine 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 removal shutter 615 to slide back and forth between the closed position and the open position, which will be described later.

As shown in Figures 39 (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 44) flows through the ball storage 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 39 (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 storage passage 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, because a magnet 616 is provided in the ball removal shutter 615, when the iron ball SB flows through the ball storage passage 604, the iron ball SB is magnetically attracted to the upper surface of the door portion 615a of the ball removal shutter 615 in the closed position by the magnetic force of the magnet 616, causing it to stop. In this case, because a magnet 616 with strong magnetic force is used, even if a large number of game balls B accumulate upstream of the magnetically attracted iron ball SB, acting as 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 storage passage 604 and game balls B continue to be launched from the ball launching 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 excess 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 excess 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 forward from the closed position to the 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 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 removed from the ball storage passage 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 storage 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 42, 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 gaming 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, thereby discharging the game balls B in the ball storage passage 604 from the ball removal opening 613p and bringing the amount to the 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 62, 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 storage 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 storage 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 62).

The low circulating ball sensor 621 is located downstream of the gauge section 620 in the ball storage passage 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 storage passage 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 43, to facilitate the elimination of ball jams in the out ball sensor 605 and the safe ball sensor 606. Figure 43(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 43(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 43(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 44, a magnet 616 may be attached to the ball removal shutter 615 in a portion forward of the opening 615d. Figure 44(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, (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 (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 (b) position 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 periphery of the magnet 616 supported by the magnet support portion 615h is aligned with the front inner periphery of the opening 615d.

As shown in Figure 44(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 44(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, sliding the ball removal shutter 615 to the rear closed position prevents the game ball B upstream of the iron ball SB from passing through the ball removal opening 613p by the door portion 615a, 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 44 (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 from the ball storage passage 604 to the outside.

[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 45 to 54. Figure 45(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 46 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 47(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 48(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 49 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 50(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 51 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the lifting spiral shaft and polishing cloth in the ball lifting unit. Figure 52(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 cross-sectional view of the ball lifting unit cut at the lifting inlet sensor. Figure 53 is an explanatory diagram showing the front and rear sections of the ball sensor, which consists of a photosensor, in the ball passage. Figure 54(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 cross-sectional 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 50(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 51, 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 overlapping with the ball 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 ball polishing cloth 682 in the ball polishing cassette 681.

However, 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 ball 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 ball polishing cloth 682, the larger gap with the ball polishing cloth 682 causes the game ball B to escape to the bottom of the lifting groove 661a, and the contact area of the game ball B with the ball polishing cloth 682 becomes smaller, resulting in reduced 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 ball polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing cassette 681. This allows the gap from the bottom of the lifting groove 661a at the large diameter portion 661c to the surface of the ball polishing cloth 682 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 ball polishing cloth 682 is set smaller than the diameter D of the game ball B. For these reasons, at the large diameter portion 661c, the game ball B cannot escape to the bottom of the lifting groove 661a, and the bottom of the lifting groove 661a presses the game ball B against the ball polishing cloth 682, causing the ball polishing cloth 682 to become depressed together with the ball polishing sponge 683 provided on the back side of the ball polishing cloth 682. This increases the contact area of the ball 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 ball 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 ball 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 50 (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 ball polishing cloth 682 at an angle. This allows the entire width of the ball polishing cloth 682 to be used to polish the game ball B, and the ball 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 ball 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 opening at the upstream end faces the ball discharge port 600d, which forms the opening at the downstream end of the ball storage passage 604 in the circulating ball path unit 600, and game balls B that have circulated through the ball storage 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 52 and 53, 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 53, 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 on the downstream side can be reduced.

More specifically, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 53, in the V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a), multiple game balls B are lined up in a straight line (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 of the ball lifting mechanism 660. The ball polishing mechanism 680 comprises a ball polishing cassette 681 shaped like a vertically elongated rectangular box, a ball polishing cloth 682 in the form of an endless loop belt, a portion of which is 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 ball 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 ball 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 54, 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 through which the ball polishing cloth 682 can pass. 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 ball polishing cassette 681 has multiple rollers 681d around which the ball polishing cloth 682 is wound, and a flat tension spring 681e that presses the ball polishing cloth 682 against the rollers 681d located adjacent to the upper slit 681a. By pressing the ball polishing cloth 682 against the rollers 681d, the tension spring 681e applies tension to the portion of the ball polishing cloth 682 that is exposed to the outside of the ball polishing cassette 681, preventing the ball polishing cloth 682 from bending on the outside of the rear surface.

The ball polishing cloth 682 is formed in the shape of an endless loop belt with a constant width on both sides. As shown in Figures 50(a) and 54(c), the ball polishing cloth 682 is stored in the ball polishing cassette 681 in a serpentine state, with a portion of it exposed rearward beyond the rear surface of the ball polishing cassette 681 through the upper and lower slits 681a of the ball 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 ball polishing cloth 682, and is attached to the rear surface of the ball polishing cassette 681. The inner surface of the ball 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 ball polishing cloth 682 against the game ball B exposed forward from the ball polishing port 668a of the ball lifting mechanism 660, allowing the ball polishing cloth 682 to contact a wider area with the spherical surface of the game ball B. The ball polishing sponge 683 is attached to the ball polishing cassette 681 so that it can be replaced.

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

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 46, the rotary coupling 692 of the ball motor base 686 protrudes to the right from a position near the lower 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 lower 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 ball 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 47(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 49). 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 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 ball polishing cloth 682 facing rearward, the ball polishing cassette 681 is placed in front of the cassette mounting recess 668b on the lifting mechanism base 668 so as to close the ball polishing opening 668a from the front (see Figures 46 and 47(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. Specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 48(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 48(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 46, but rather moves closer to the ball cassette 681 behind it as shown in Figure 48(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 to 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 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 pressure piece 693 is pressing the ball cassette 681 backward due to the biasing force of the spring 695 (see Figure 48(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 storage passage 604 are supplied. The game balls B supplied to the ball lifting inlet passage 651 come into contact with the ball lifting inlet earthing metal plate 655 to remove static electricity, are 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 ball B is inserted into the ball polishing port 668a, whose front end penetrates forward. The front end of the game ball B comes into contact with the ball polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing mechanism 680, and its movement in the left-right direction is restricted by the vertically elongated ball polishing port 668a.

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 ball 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 polished by ball polishing cloth 682 as it is lifted by ball lifting mechanism 660 and becomes statically charged, the static electricity is removed by contact with ball lifting exit earth metal plate 656 upstream of lifting exit sensor 654, and no malfunctions caused by static electricity from the ball polisher will occur in the 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 the portion of the polishing cloth 682 accommodated within the polishing cassette 681 is extended from the outside through the slit on the top of the polishing cassette 681.

The ball polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing mechanism 680 moves intermittently at a slow speed. In this embodiment, the ball 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.

[4-5-1. Modified examples of Kuma cassette]
Next, the polishing cassette 800 of the second embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to FIGS. 54-1 to 54-8. FIG. 54-1 is a front perspective view of the polishing cassette of the second embodiment. FIG. 54-2 is an exploded front perspective view of the polishing cassette of FIG. 54-1, and FIG. 54-3 is an exploded rear perspective view of the polishing cassette of FIG. 54-1. FIG. 54-4(a) is a front view of the polishing cassette of FIG. 54-1 with dirt adhering to the polishing cloth, FIG. 54-4(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in FIG. 54-1, and FIG. 54-4(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line U-U in FIG. 54-5(a) is a left side view of the polishing cassette of FIG. 54-1, and FIG. 54-5(b) is a right side view of the polishing cassette of FIG. 54-1.

Figure 54-6 (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the state when there is no dirt on the ball polishing cloth, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state when there is some dirt on the ball polishing cloth, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the state when there is dirt on the ball polishing cloth and it is time to replace it. Figure 54-7 is an oblique view of the ball polishing cassette with part of the ball polishing cloth pulled out. Figure 54-8 is an oblique view of the ball polishing cassette attached to the main frame, showing an enlarged portion from the front.

The ball polishing cassette 800 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the ball polishing cassette 681 described above, except that the cassette body 801 and cassette lid 802 are made of transparent synthetic resin. By attaching it from the front to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 of the ball lifting mechanism 660 of the main body frame 4, the game balls B can be polished using the ball polishing cloth 804 provided inside.

[4-5-1a. Description of each component of the Kuma Cassette]
First, a detailed description will be given of each component of the polishing cassette 800. The polishing cassette 800 has a configuration similar to that of the polishing cassette 681. The polishing cassette 800 includes a box-shaped cassette body 801 that is open on the right end, a cassette lid 802 that closes the opening on the right end of the cassette body 801, a plurality of rollers 803 that are supported rotatably about an axis extending in the left-right direction, an endless belt-like polishing cloth 804 that is wound around the rollers 803, a flat tension spring 805 that presses a portion of the polishing cloth 804 against one of the rollers 803, a polishing feed gear 806 and a polishing driven gear 807 that rotate the polishing cloth 804, and a pair of cloth guides 808 that guide the polishing cloth 804 fed by the polishing feed gear 806 and the polishing driven gear 807.

The cassette body 801 is made of transparent synthetic resin and has a vertically long rectangular shape. Specifically, the cassette body 801 has a vertically long rectangular side wall 801a, a front wall 801b extending to the right from the front edge of the side wall 801a, a rear wall 801c extending to the right from the rear edge of the side wall 801a, an upper wall 801d extending to the right from the upper edge of the side wall 801a, and a lower wall 801e extending to the right from the lower edge of the side wall 801a.

In the cassette body 801, the upper edge of the front wall 801b and the front edge of the upper wall 801d are in contact with and connected to each other, and the lower edge of the front wall 801b and the front edge of the lower wall 801e are in contact with and connected to each other. On the other hand, the upper edge of the rear wall 801c and the rear edge of the upper wall 801d are not connected to each other, and the lower edge of the rear wall 801c and the rear edge of the lower wall 801e are not connected to each other. In other words, the cassette body 801 has a slit 801f that runs from front to rear between the upper edge of the rear wall 801c and the rear edge of the upper wall 801d, and also has a slit 801f that runs from front to rear between the lower edge of the rear wall 801c and the rear edge of the lower wall 801e. These slits 801f allow the ball polishing cloth 804 to extend from the inside to the outside of the cassette body 801, or to be retracted from the outside to the inside.

The rear wall 801c will now be described in detail. The rear wall 801c extends vertically from a point approximately 1/10 of the total height of the side wall 801a to a point approximately 9/10 of the total height. The upper and lower edges of the rear wall 801c are each bent forward (inward). The rear wall 801c protrudes further to the right than the front wall 801b, upper wall 801d, and lower wall 801e, and its right end surface abuts the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802, described below. The rear surface (outer surface) of the rear wall 801c is formed as a flat surface with no irregularities. The back surface of the ball polishing cloth 804 contacts the rear surface of this rear wall 801c.

The cassette body 801 also has four bosses, first through fourth, on the sidewall 801a, for rotatably supporting the roller 803. The first through fourth bosses 801g through 801j protrude cylindrically from the inner surface (right side) of the sidewall 801a, and their outer diameters taper in three stages toward the tip (see Figure 54-4(c)). Specifically, the outer diameters of the base portions of the first through fourth bosses 801g through 801j adjacent to the sidewall 801a are slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the roller 803, the outer diameter of the second-stage portion from the base portion toward the tip is the same as the inner diameter of the roller 803, and the outer diameter of the third-stage portion further toward the tip is smaller than the inner diameter of the roller 803. In other words, the first to fourth shaft bosses 801g to 801j each rotatably support the roller 803 at their second-stage locations. This prevents the roller 803 from coming into contact with the side wall 801a.

The arrangement of the first axis boss 801g through the fourth axis boss 801j will now be described (mainly refer to Figure 54-4 (b)). The first axis boss 801g is located near the center of the side wall 801a in the fore-and-aft direction, and slightly below 8/10 of the total height of the side wall 801a (the polishing cassette 800). The second axis boss 801h is located near the center between the front end of the side wall 801a and the first axis boss 801g in the fore-and-aft direction, and approximately 3/10 of the total height of the polishing cassette 800 in the height direction. The third axis boss 801i is located slightly forward of the center of the second axis boss 801h in the fore-and-aft direction, and above the first axis boss 801g and below 9/10 of the total height of the polishing cassette 800 in the height direction. The fourth axis boss 801j is located near the center between the first axis boss 801g and the rear end of the side wall 801a in the front-to-rear direction, and at a height of approximately 9/10 of the total height of the ball grinding cassette 800 from the bottom. This fourth axis boss 801j is located forward of the upper end of the rear wall 801c.

The cassette body 801 also has a first wall portion 801k extending from a position slightly below the first axis boss 801g to a position rearward and below the second axis boss 801h, a second wall portion 801l extending horizontally from the lower end of the first wall portion 801k to the front wall 801b, a third wall portion 801m extending diagonally rearward and upward from a position below the upper end of the first wall portion 801k, a fourth wall portion 801n extending from a position slightly above the second axis boss 801h to a position slightly below the third axis boss 801i, and a fifth wall portion 801o extending from a position slightly rearward of the third axis boss 801i, passing between the first axis boss 801g and the fourth axis boss 801j, to a position slightly below and rearward of the fourth axis boss 801j. The first wall portion 801k, second wall portion 801l, third wall portion 801m, fourth wall portion 801n, and fifth wall portion 801o each protrude to the right from the side wall 801a by a distance shorter than the left-right length of the cassette body 801.

Furthermore, the cassette body 801 is provided with a first shaft hole 801p for rotatably supporting the left end of the spherical feed gear 806, and a second shaft hole 801q for rotatably supporting the left end of the spherical driven gear 807 (see Figure 54-5 (a)). The first shaft hole 801p and the second shaft hole 801q are each holes that penetrate the side wall 801a and are located at a height of approximately 1/10 of the total height of the side wall 801a from the bottom. The first shaft hole 801p is located at a position rearward of the center in the front-to-rear direction on the side wall 801a. The second shaft hole 801q is located at a position forward of the center in the front-to-rear direction on the side wall 801a. The inner diameter of the first shaft hole 801p is larger than the inner diameter of the second shaft hole 801q.

The cassette body 801 also has a positioning hole 801r that penetrates the side wall 801a below the second shaft hole 801q. The positioning pin 686b of the ball-lifting motor base 686 is inserted into the positioning hole 801r. Inserting the positioning pin 686b positions the ball-lifting cassette 800 relative to the ball-lifting mechanism 660 and restricts (locks) forward movement of the ball-lifting cassette 800 relative to the ball-lifting mechanism 660. The positioning hole 801r is also located in a position that overlaps with the teeth of the ball-lifting driven gear 807 in the left-right direction when assembled into the ball-lifting cassette 800. This allows the ball-lifting driven gear 807 to be forcibly rotated by inserting a thin rod such as a wire through the positioning hole 801r and pressing against the teeth of the ball-lifting driven gear 807.

The cassette body 801 also has multiple (here, two) openings 801s penetrating the side wall 801a. The multiple openings 801s are provided in an upper portion between the first shaft hole 801p and the second shaft hole 801q, and in a portion forward of and slightly above the fourth shaft boss 801j. The inner diameter of the opening 801s on the lower side (near the first shaft hole 801p) is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the first shaft hole 801p. The inner diameter of the opening 801s on the upper side (near the fourth shaft boss 801j) is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the base of the fourth shaft boss 801j. These openings 801s are arranged so that the polishing cloth 804 passes through their centers when assembled into the polishing cassette 800 as viewed from the left side (see Figure 54-5(a)). This allows both sides (front and back) of the ball polishing cloth 804 to be directly visible through the opening 801s, allowing the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 to be reliably confirmed.

The cassette body 801 further includes a spring mounting portion 801t for mounting a tension spring 805. The spring mounting portion 801t is located above the upper end of the rear wall 801c and below the top wall 801d. In other words, the spring mounting portion 801t is located on the opposite side of the fourth axis boss 801j, with the upper opening 801s in between.

The cassette body 801 also has a pair of guide mounting portions 801u for mounting the left end of the cloth guide 808. The guide mounting portions 801u are formed as holes that penetrate the side wall 801a.

The cassette lid 802 is made of transparent synthetic resin and is formed into a vertically long rectangular flat plate. More specifically, the cassette lid 802 has a vertically long rectangular side wall 802a and a weir portion 802b that protrudes slightly to the left from the front, top, and bottom edges of the side wall 802a. When assembled into the Kuma cassette 800, the side wall 802a abuts against the rear wall 801c of the cassette body 801, and the weir portion 802b abuts against the front wall 801b, top wall 801d, and bottom wall 801e of the cassette body 801.

The cassette lid 802 also has four bosses, first through fourth, 802f, on its side wall 802a, which cooperate with the first through fourth bosses 801g through 801j of the cassette body 801 to rotatably support the roller 803 (see Figure 54-5(b) and other figures). The first through fourth bosses 802c through 802f protrude cylindrically from the inner surface (left side) of the side wall 802a, and their outer diameters taper in two stages toward the tip (see Figure 54-4(c)). More specifically, the outer diameters of the base portions of the first through fourth bosses 802c through 802f adjacent to the side wall 802a are slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the roller 803, and the outer diameters of the second-stage portions extending from the base portions toward the tip are the same as the inner diameter of the roller 803. In other words, first shaft boss 802c to fourth shaft boss 802f each rotatably support roller 803 at their second-stage locations. This prevents roller 803 from coming into contact with side wall 802a. First shaft boss 802c to fourth shaft boss 802f are arranged coaxially with corresponding first shaft boss 801g to fourth shaft boss 801j in cassette body 801, and a detailed description of the arrangement of first shaft boss 802c to fourth shaft boss 802f will be omitted.

The cassette lid 802 also has a first shaft hole 802g for rotatably supporting the right end of the spherical feed gear 806, and a second shaft hole 802h for rotatably supporting the right end of the spherical driven gear 807 (see Figure 54-5 (b)). The first shaft hole 802g and the second shaft hole 802h are each holes that penetrate the side wall 802a and are located at a height of approximately 1/10 of the total height of the side wall 802a from the bottom. The first shaft hole 802g is located at a position rearward of the center in the front-to-rear direction on the side wall 802a. The second shaft hole 802h is located at a position forward of the center in the front-to-rear direction on the side wall 802a. In other words, the first shaft hole 802g and the second shaft hole 802h of the cassette lid 802 are located coaxially with the corresponding first shaft hole 801p and second shaft hole 801q of the cassette body 801. The inner diameters of the first shaft hole 802g and the second shaft hole 802h of the cassette lid 802 are the same as the inner diameter of the second shaft hole 801q of the cassette body 801.

Furthermore, the cassette lid 802 has an opening 802i penetrating the side wall 802a. The opening 802i is located above and between the first axial hole 802g and the second axial hole 802h. The opening 802i of the cassette lid 802 is located at a position corresponding to the opening 801s on the lower side of the cassette body 801, and has the same inner diameter. The opening 802i is located so that the polishing cloth 804 passes through its center when viewed from the right side when assembled into the polishing cassette 800 (see Figure 54-5 (b)). This allows direct viewing of both sides (front and back) of the polishing cloth 804 through the opening 802i, allowing the degree of dirt on the polishing cloth 804 to be reliably confirmed. The opening 802i of the cassette lid 802 is located coaxially with the opening 801s on the lower side of the cassette body 801.

The cassette lid 802 also has a rectangular hole-shaped mounting portion 802j into which the left end of the tension spring 805 is inserted. This mounting portion 802j is provided in a position corresponding to the spring mounting portion 801t on the cassette body 801.

The cassette lid 802 also has a pair of guide mounting portions 802k for mounting the right end of the cloth guide 808. The guide mounting portions 802k are formed by holes that penetrate the side wall 802a.

Each of the multiple rollers 803 (four in this example) is cylindrical. The rollers 803 are made of a dark-colored synthetic resin. The four rollers 803 include a first roller 803a rotatably supported by a first shaft boss 801g of the cassette body 801 and a first shaft boss 802c of the cassette lid 802; a second roller 803b rotatably supported by a second shaft boss 801h of the cassette body 801 and a second shaft boss 802d of the cassette lid 802; a third roller 803c rotatably supported by a third shaft boss 801i of the cassette body 801 and a third shaft boss 802e of the cassette lid 802; and a fourth roller 803d rotatably supported by a fourth shaft boss 801j of the cassette body 801 and a fourth shaft boss 802f of the cassette lid 802. The four rollers 803 rotate by coming into contact with the backside of the ball polishing cloth 804, allowing the ball polishing cloth 804 to rotate smoothly.

The ball polishing cloth 804 is formed as an endless belt with a width approximately equal to the length of the roller 803. The ball polishing cloth 804 has a ball soil adhesion portion 804a that comes into contact with the game ball B and ball soil adheres to it, and a ball soil non-adhesion portion 804b that does not come into contact with the game ball B and does not allow ball soil to adhere to it (see Figure 54-6, etc.). The ball soil adhesion portion 804a is the portion between boundary lines (shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 54-6) a predetermined distance inward from both widthwise edges of the surface of the ball polishing cloth 804. In other words, in this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 has ball soil non-adhesion portions 804b of a predetermined width provided on both widthwise edges of the surface, and the ball soil adhesion portion 804a is provided in the portion between these ball soil non-adhesion portions 804b. Note that since both widthwise side surfaces and the back surface of the ball polishing cloth 804 do not come into contact with the game ball B, these portions may also be included in the ball soil non-adhesion portion 804b.

This ball polishing cloth 804 is light-colored throughout. Therefore, as will be described in detail below, the non-ball-soil-adherent portion 804b is the same color as the ball-soil-adherent portion 804a before the ball soil adheres to it, and constitutes the light-colored portion 809a that serves as a comparison object 809 for the dirt in the ball-soil-adherent portion 804a.

The circumference of the ball polishing cloth 804 is approximately twice the total length of the circular route (described below) formed by the cassette body 801, the four rollers 803, and the rear wall 801c of the cassette body 801. This ball polishing cloth 804 is made of a cloth-like material with at least the ball soil adhesion area 804a brushed. Incidentally, the circumference of the ball polishing cloth 804 in this embodiment is approximately 1 m.

The polishing cloth 804 can be made of "woven fabric," "nonwoven fabric," "tanned leather," "artificial leather," "paper," etc. Examples of the "fabric" of the polishing cloth 804 include "microfiber cloth," "fleece-lined," "boa," "fleece," "jaggy-lined," and "faux suede."

The tension spring 805 is formed from a light-colored thin metal plate. This tension spring 805 is primarily attached to the spring mounting portion 801t of the cassette body 801, so that its rear end biases the fourth roller 803d from above with a predetermined biasing force. In this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 passes above the fourth roller 803d, and this portion of the ball polishing cloth 804 is pressed against the fourth roller 803d by the biasing force of the tension spring 805.

The polishing feed gear 806 cooperates with the polishing driven gear 807 to feed (circulate) the polishing cloth 804. The polishing feed gear 806 is made of a dark synthetic resin. The polishing feed gear 806 comprises a shaft portion 806a whose axis faces left and right, and a gear portion 806b that is rotatable integrally with the shaft portion 806a. The shaft portion 806a has different outer diameters on the left and right ends, with the left end being larger than the right end. More specifically, the outer diameter of the left end of the shaft portion 806a corresponds to the inner diameter of the first shaft hole 801p in the cassette body 801, and the outer diameter of the right end of the shaft portion 806a corresponds to the inner diameter of the first shaft hole 802g in the cassette lid 802 (see Figure 54-5). Therefore, by inserting both ends of the shaft portion 806a into the first shaft hole 801p and the first shaft hole 802g, the spherical feed gear 806 is rotatably supported.

The length of this shaft 806a is slightly longer than the distance from the outer surface (left side) of the side wall 801a of the cassette body 801 to the outer surface (right side) of the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802 in the ball polishing cassette 800. In other words, when assembled into the ball polishing cassette 800, both ends of the shaft 806a protrude slightly from both the left and right sides. This makes it possible to pinch both ends of the shaft 806a between two fingers, allowing the ball polishing feed gear 806 to be rotated with the fingers without the need for a tool such as a screwdriver.

The gear portion 806b is a long gear that extends in the axial direction of the shaft portion 806a, and two gears are provided in that axial direction. The gear portion 806b is composed of multiple teeth with a triangular cross section with rounded apexes. The rounded apexes of the teeth prevent damage to the polishing cloth 804. The gear portion 806b of the polishing feed gear 806 and the gear portion 807b of the polishing driven gear 807, which will be described later, are the same.

The ball polishing feed gear 806 also has a connection hole 806c on the left end surface of the shaft portion 806a and a tool hole 806d on the right end surface of the shaft portion 806a. The rotary coupling part 692, which protrudes to the right from the ball polishing motor base 686, is inserted into the connection hole 806c. By inserting the rotary coupling part 692 into this connection hole 806c, rotation from the ball polishing motor 688 is transmitted, allowing the ball polishing cloth 804 to rotate. The tool hole 806d is a cross-shaped recessed hole, and by inserting a "+" screwdriver as a tool, the ball polishing feed gear 806 can be manually rotated.

The spherical driven gear 807 cooperates with the spherical feed gear 806 to feed (circulate) the spherical polishing cloth 804. The spherical driven gear 807 is made of dark synthetic resin. The spherical driven gear 807 has a shaft portion 807a whose axis faces the left-right direction, and a gear portion 807b that is rotatable integrally with the shaft portion 807a. The shaft portion 807a of the spherical driven gear 807 has the same outer diameter on both ends, which corresponds to the inner diameter of the second shaft hole 801q in the cassette body 801 and the second shaft hole 802h in the cassette lid 802 (see Figure 54-5). Therefore, by inserting both ends of the shaft portion 807a into the second shaft hole 801q and the second shaft hole 802h, the spherical driven gear 807 is rotatably supported.

The length of this shaft 807a is slightly longer than the distance from the outer surface (left side) of the side wall 801a of the cassette body 801 to the outer surface (right side) of the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802 in the ball polishing cassette 800. In other words, when assembled into the ball polishing cassette 800, both ends of the shaft 807a protrude slightly from both the left and right sides. This makes it possible to pinch both ends of the shaft 807a between two fingers, allowing the ball polishing driven gear 807 to be rotated with the fingers without the need for a tool such as a screwdriver.

The gear portion 807b is a long gear that extends in the axial direction of the shaft portion 807a, and two of them are provided in that axial direction. The gear portion 807b is composed of multiple teeth with a triangular cross section with rounded apexes. The rounded apexes of the teeth prevent damage to the polishing cloth 804. The gear portion 807b of the polishing driven gear 807 and the gear portion 806b of the polishing feed gear 806 are the same.

The spherical driven gear 807 also has tool holes 807c on both end surfaces of the shaft portion 807a. Similar to the tool hole 806d of the spherical feed gear 806, the tool hole 807c is a cross-shaped recessed hole, and by inserting a "+" screwdriver as a tool, the spherical driven gear 807 can be manually rotated.

In this embodiment, the meshing between the gear portion 806b of the ball polishing feed gear 806 and the gear portion 807b of the ball polishing driven gear is designed to form a gap slightly larger than the thickness of the ball polishing cloth 804. This ensures that when either the ball polishing feed gear 806 or the ball polishing driven gear 807 is rotated, the other side rotates reliably via the ball polishing cloth 804, and the ball polishing cloth 804 that passes between the ball polishing feed gear 806 and the ball polishing driven gear 807 is not crushed (compressed), so the effectiveness of wiping off ball dirt (due to the raised nap) is not reduced.

The cloth guide 808 is made of dark synthetic resin. The cloth guide 808 has protruding mounting portions on both the left and right ends that are attached (inserted) into the guide mounting portion 801u of the cassette body 801 and the guide mounting portion 802k of the cassette lid 802. A pair of cloth guides 808 are provided, each positioned above the polished feed gear 806 and the polished driven gear 807. These cloth guides 808 prevent the polished cloth 804, which is sent upward through the gap between the polished feed gear 806 and the polished driven gear 807, from rotating behind the polished feed gear 806 or in front of the polished driven gear 807 and becoming entangled between the polished feed gear 806 and the polished driven gear 807.

[4-5-1b. Assembly of the Kuma Cassette]
Next, we will explain how to assemble the ball polishing cassette 800, which is made up of the multiple components described above. For example, the ball polishing cassette 800 can be assembled as follows. First, one end of the roller 803 is placed over each of the first shaft boss 801g to the fourth shaft boss 801j of the cassette body 801. Then, the end of the shaft portion 806a of the ball polishing feed gear 806, which is located on the side of the connecting hole 806c, is inserted into the first shaft hole 801p of the cassette body 801. In this state, the ball polishing cloth 804 is inserted into the cassette body 801.

The ball polishing cloth 804 is attached by inserting it through the lower slit 801f, between the lower wall 801e and the ball polishing feed gear 806, between the rear wall 801c and the first wall portion 801k, between the fifth wall portion 801o and the first roller 803a, between the first wall portion 801k and the fourth wall portion 801n, between the second wall portion 801l and the second roller 803b, between the front wall 801b and the fourth wall portion 801n, between the upper wall 801d and the third roller 803c, between the upper wall 801d and the fifth wall portion 801o, between the upper wall 801d and the fourth roller 803d, and the upper slit 801f.

The insertion of the ball polishing cloth 804 into the cassette body 801 will be described in detail later, but by using the multiple third identification marks 813 provided on the cassette body 801 as a guide, the ball polishing cloth 804 can be inserted correctly into the circuit route.

After inserting the ball polishing cloth 804 into the cassette body 801, attach the tension spring 805 to the spring attachment portion 801t of the cassette body 801. At this time, attach the tension spring 805 so that the ball polishing cloth 804 passes between the rear end side of the tension spring 805 and the fourth roller 803d.

Furthermore, one end of the shaft portion 807a of the spherical driven gear 807 is inserted into the second shaft hole 801q of the cassette body 801. At this time, the spherical polishing cloth 804 is passed between the gear portion 806b of the spherical polishing feed gear 806 and the gear portion 807b of the spherical polishing driven gear 807, and these gear portions 806b and 807b are meshed together.

Furthermore, insert the left end mounting portions of the pair of cloth guides 808 into the guide mounting portions 801u of the cassette body 801 and mount them.

Then, attach the cassette lid 802 to the cassette body 801. At this time, insert the first shaft boss 802c to the fourth shaft boss 802f of the cassette lid 802 into each of the rollers 803, one end of which is fitted over the first shaft boss 801g to the fourth shaft boss 801j of the cassette body 801, and insert the right end of the tension spring 805 into the mounting portion 802j. Also, insert the mounting portions on the right end sides of the pair of cloth guides 808 into the guide mounting portion 802k of the cassette lid 802.

Then, once the dam portion 802b of the cassette lid 802 is abutted against the right end side of the cassette body 801, mounting screws (not shown) are screwed through the cassette lid 802 and into the cassette body 801 at the four corners of the cassette lid 802 to tighten, completing the assembly of the polishing cassette 800. In this state, a portion of the polishing cloth 804 is pulled out from the cassette body 801 (see Figure 54-7). Therefore, insert the tip of a screwdriver into the tool hole 806d of the polishing feed gear 806 or the tool hole 807c of the polishing driven gear 807, and rotate the polishing cloth 804 in a direction that sends the portion between the polishing feed gear 806 and the polishing driven gear 807 upward, thereby retracting the pulled-out portion into the interior through the lower slit 801f. At this time, as will be described in detail later, by rotating the screwdriver using the arrows on the specific identification marks 815 on the cassette body 801 and cassette lid 802 as a guide, it is possible to correctly place the pulled-out ball polishing cloth 804 inside.

Then, the protruding portions of the ball polishing cloth 804 are sequentially retracted into the cassette body 801 until they are in contact with the rear surface (outer surface) of the rear wall 801c, completing the preparation of the ball polishing cassette 800.

In the polishing cassette 800 of this embodiment, the cassette body 801 and cassette lid 802 are made of transparent materials, so the polishing cloth 804 stored inside can be seen from the outside. This makes it possible to check from the outside whether there are any problems with the rotation of the polishing cloth 804. Furthermore, the degree of dirt on the polishing cloth 804 can be checked from the outside without having to disassemble the polishing cassette 800 and remove the polishing cloth 804. Furthermore, the amount of dirt and dust that has accumulated inside the polishing cassette 800 can also be checked from the outside.

[4-5-1c. Regarding the rotation of the ball]
Here, we will explain the circulation of the polishing cloth 804 in the polishing cassette 800. First, the polishing cassette 800 has a circulation route along which the endless belt-like polishing cloth 804 circulates. Part of the circulation route passes outside along the rear surface (outer surface) of the rear wall 801c of the cassette body 801 in the polishing cassette 800.

The polishing cloth 804 enters the interior of the polishing cassette 800 (cassette body 801) from the outside through the slit 801f on the lower side of the cassette body 801, passes from below between the polishing feed gear 806 and the polishing driven gear 807, and enters the space between the upper rear wall 801c and the first wall portion 801k. It then passes between the upper end of the third wall portion 801m and the rear wall 801c, bends forward toward the first roller 803a, wraps around the first roller 803a below the fifth wall portion 801o, bends downward, and enters between the first wall portion 801k and the fourth wall portion 801n. After traveling downward between the first wall portion 801k and the fourth wall portion 801n, the ball polishing cloth 804 is wrapped around the second roller 803b above the second wall portion 801l, bends upward, and enters between the front wall 801b and the fourth wall portion 801n. It then wraps around the third roller 803c above the fourth wall portion 801n, bends backward, passes between the fourth roller 803d and the tension spring 805 above the fifth wall portion 801o, and extends outward through the upper slit 801f. The ball polishing cloth 804 that has extended outward travels downward while contacting the rear surface (outer surface) of the rear wall 801c, and re-enters the interior of the cassette body 801 through the lower slit 801f. The travel route of the ball polishing cloth 804 described above is the circular route.

The circumference of this ball polishing cloth 804 is longer than the total length of the circular route (in this embodiment, the circumference of the ball polishing cloth 804 is approximately twice the total length of the circular route), and it is also flexible, so that in the space between the rear wall 801c and the first wall portion 801k, the ball polishing cloth 804 is stored in a zigzag, folded over state.

In addition, the polishing cloth 804 is sandwiched between the gear portions 806b and 807b of the polishing feed gear 806 and the polishing driven gear 807, respectively, so it does not move freely in that area. Furthermore, in the area of the fourth roller 803d, the polishing cloth 804 is pressed against the fourth roller 803d by the tension spring 805, so it does not move freely in that area either. In this polishing cassette 800, the polishing cloth 804 is accommodated inside through the lower slit 801f by the polishing feed gear 806 and the polishing driven gear 807. Therefore, in the area between the polishing feed gear 806 and the fourth roller 803d on the circulation route, the polishing cloth 804 is pulled tight and does not slacken in the area that passes through the rear surface (outer surface) of the rear wall 801c.

The width of the polishing cloth 804 is the same as the length of the roller 803, i.e., it is shorter than the left-right inner dimension of the polishing cassette 800, so it rarely comes into contact with the side wall 801a of the cassette body 801 or the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802. Furthermore, because the polishing cloth 804 is housed in a loose state within the cassette body 801, it does not come into strong contact with the inner wall of the cassette body 801, and even if the polishing cloth 804 does come into contact, it is unlikely to cause scratches.

[4-5-1d. Ball milling using ball milling cassettes]
Next, we will explain how to polish game balls B using the above-mentioned ball polishing cassette 800. First, the ball polishing cassette 800 is inserted from the front of the main frame 4 through the opening 501o in the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501 and into the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 of the ball lifting mechanism 660. A vertically elongated ball polishing opening 668a opens at the rear surface of the cassette mounting recess 668b, and a lifting spiral shaft 661 is provided behind this ball polishing opening 668a (see Figure 49, etc.). A portion of the game ball B supported by the lifting spiral shaft 661 protrudes forward through the ball polishing opening 668a, and this protruding portion contacts the ball polishing cloth 804 protruding from the rear surface of the ball polishing cassette 800.

In this state, when the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates in a direction that lifts game ball B, game ball B is pushed from bottom to top by the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661. At this time, as the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates, game ball B also attempts to rotate around the axis of the lifting spiral shaft 661, but because part of game ball B protrudes forward from the ball shaving opening 668a, part of game ball B abuts the inner edge of the ball shaving opening 668a, and game ball B does not rotate around the axis of the lifting spiral shaft 661. As a result, game ball B moves upward along the ball shaving opening 668a while rotating (spinning).

In this embodiment, the axis of the lifting spiral shaft 661 and the ball polishing port 668a are inclined relative to the vertical direction, so that the rotation of the lifting spiral shaft 661 causes the game ball B to rise at an angle. Therefore, the game ball B moves at an angle relative to the ball polishing cloth 804 while rotating, causing ball dirt to adhere to the game ball B at an angle. Figure 54-6 (b) shows a state in which a certain amount of ball dirt has adhered to the ball polishing cloth 804. The ball polishing cloth 804 rotates as the rotation of the ball polishing motor 688 of the ball polishing mechanism 680 is transmitted, and the portion that comes into contact with the game ball B moves as it rotates. This allows many game balls B to be polished using the entire circumference of the endless belt-like ball polishing cloth 804.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, when 1,000 game balls B are launched (the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates 1,000 times), the ball polishing motor 688 rotates one step, and the ball polishing cloth 804 moves (circulates) 0.17 mm.

In this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 has a ball dirt adhesion portion 804a that comes into contact with the game ball B and ball dirt adheres to it, and a ball dirt non-adhesion portion 804b that does not come into contact with the game ball B and does not allow ball dirt to adhere to it. As a result, ball dirt from the game ball B adheres diagonally to the ball dirt adhesion portion 804a (see Figure 54-6 (b)). Furthermore, ball dirt non-adhesion portions 804b, which are located on both sides of the ball dirt adhesion portion 804a, do not allow ball dirt from the game ball B to adhere to them, and remain as clean (bright in color) as new.

As described above, the ball polishing cloth 804 is rotated intermittently by the ball polishing motor 688 at a speed corresponding to the number of game balls B launched. As a result, the area in contact with the game ball B gradually moves, and over time, ball dirt from the game ball B adheres to the entire circumference of the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball dirt adhesion area 804a). As more ball dirt from the game ball B adheres to the ball polishing cloth 804, the color of the ball dirt adhesion area 804a changes from its initial light color to a darker color, becoming darker. Then, as shown in Figure 54-6 (c), once the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball dirt adhesion area 804a) has become somewhat dirty (darkened in color), the ball polishing cassette 800 is removed and replaced with a new ball polishing cassette 800 containing a clean ball polishing cloth 804.

The timing for replacing the polishing cassette 800 may be indicated by a display or audio message, for example, when the polishing motor 688 has rotated a predetermined number of times (e.g., 6 million steps). Incidentally, in this embodiment, when the polishing motor 688 has rotated 6 million steps, the endless belt-like polishing cloth 804 will make 1,020 revolutions.

In this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 uses a raised cloth, so when the ball polishing cloth 804 rotates in a predetermined direction in the ball polishing cassette 800 to polish many game balls B, the raised nap flows in a certain direction. In this state, if a malfunction or damage occurs in the game ball B, the ball lifting mechanism 660, or the ball polishing cassette 800, changing the contact between the ball polishing cloth 804 and the game ball B, the constantly flowing nap will change in parts, or the nap will stand up. As a result, when performing maintenance, by checking the raised state of the ball polishing cloth 804, it is possible to know that a malfunction has occurred.

In this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 serving as the ball polishing member is made into an endless belt and rotates around it. This means that the ball polishing member (ball polishing cassette 800) can be replaced more frequently than if the ball polishing member were a stationary sponge, making it possible to reduce the maintenance costs associated with ball polishing.

In addition, in this embodiment, the ball polishing member is made of a ball polishing cloth 804 made of a strip of cloth, which has a higher tensile strength than when the ball polishing member is made of a strip of sponge. Therefore, by rotating the ball polishing cloth 804 while it is in contact with the game ball B, even if tension is applied to the ball polishing cloth 804, there will be no problems such as the ball polishing cloth 804 breaking. This does not reduce the ease of maintenance required for ball polishing, and it is possible to effectively wipe away ball dirt from the game ball B.

[4-5-1e. Checking the dirt on the polishing cloth 1]
The ball polishing cassette 800 of this embodiment allows the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 to be visually checked from the outside to determine when it should be replaced. Incidentally, it is considered that the degree of dirt on the game ball B varies depending on the configuration of the game board 5 attached to the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, if the replacement time for the ball polishing cassette 800 is indicated by the number of rotations of the ball polishing motor 688, even if the ball polishing cloth 804 is dirty enough to require replacement, the ball polishing motor 688 has not yet reached the predetermined number of rotations, and the dirty ball polishing cloth 804 may continue to be used. In such a case, an overly dirty ball polishing cloth 804 may not be able to sufficiently remove the ball dirt from the game ball B. If the dirty game ball B is shot into the play area 5a of the game board 5, this may affect the flow of the game ball B and reduce the player's interest.

In response to the above-mentioned problems, the ball polishing cassette 800 of this embodiment allows the ball polishing cloth 804 to be viewed from the outside through the transparent cassette body 801 and transparent cassette lid 802, making it possible to check the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804. The ball polishing cloth 804 is provided with a ball soiling area 804a and a ball soiling non-adherent area 804b (light-colored area 809a), and both the ball soiling area 804a and the ball soiling non-adherent area 804b (light-colored area 809a) are visible from the outside. Therefore, by comparing the ball soiling area 804a with the ball soiling non-adherent area 804b (light-colored area 809a), the degree of dirt on the ball soiling area 804a can be confirmed, making it easy to determine whether it is time to replace the ball polishing cloth. In other words, the ball polishing cassette 800 is provided with a dirt comparison object 809 in advance for checking the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 54-8, the ball polishing cloth 804 inside can be seen from the outside even when the ball polishing cassette 800 is attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668. Even in this case, both the ball soiled portion 804a and the ball non-soiled portion 804b (light-colored portion 809a) can be seen from the outside through the transparent cassette body 801 and transparent cassette lid 802. This makes it possible to check the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804 without removing the ball polishing cassette 800 from the lifting mechanism base 668.

In addition, because the cassette pressing piece 693 that presses the ball polishing cassette 800 against the cassette mounting recess 668b is made of a transparent material, the ball polishing cloth 804 inside the ball polishing cassette 800 can be seen through the cassette pressing piece 693. Even in this case, both the ball soiled portion 804a and the ball non-soiled portion 804b (light-colored portion 809a) can be seen from the outside through the transparent cassette pressing piece 693. As a result, even if the ball polishing cassette 800 is covered by the cassette pressing piece 693, the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804 can be confirmed through the cassette pressing piece 693.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, because the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 is located on the front surface of the main body frame 4, the ball polishing cloth 804 inside the ball polishing cassette 800 attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b can be viewed from the front outside the main body frame 4. Even in this case, both the ball soiling portion 804a and the ball soiling-free portion 804b (light-colored portion 809a) can be viewed from the outside through the transparent cassette body 801 and transparent cassette lid 802, allowing the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804 to be confirmed. For this reason, in this embodiment, when the door frame 3 located in front of the main body frame 4 is opened, the ball polishing cassette 800 located on the front side of the main body frame 4 can be viewed, allowing the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804 to be easily confirmed. In other words, the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804 can be confirmed simply by opening the door frame 3. This makes it easy to check the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804, making it less likely that you will miss the time to replace the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing cassette 800), and allowing you to replace the ball polishing cassette 800 with one that has a clean ball polishing cloth 804.

[4-5-1f. Checking the dirt on the ball polishing cloth 2]
However, if for some reason the non-ball soiling areas 804b (light-colored areas 809a) on both sides of the ball soiling area 804a become soiled, it is difficult to accurately determine the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804 even if the ball soiling areas 804a and the non-ball soiling areas 804b are visually checked simultaneously. On the other hand, because ball soiling cannot adhere to the back surface of the ball polishing cloth 804, the back surface of the ball polishing cloth 804 may be used as the dirt comparison object 809 (non-ball soiling areas 804b). In this case, the degree of soiling can be checked by removing the ball polishing cassette 800 from the cassette mounting recess 668b and performing the following procedure.

For example, as shown in FIG. 54-5, openings 801s and 802i are provided on both the left and right sides of the ball polishing cassette 800. Therefore, by removing the ball polishing cassette 800 from the cassette mounting recess 668b and viewing the ball polishing cloth 804 inside through openings 801s and 802i, the degree of dirt on the cloth can be confirmed. Specifically, because the ball polishing cloth 804 passes through the center of openings 801s and 802i, the front and back surfaces (light-colored portion 809a) of the ball polishing cloth 804 can be seen through openings 801s and 802i. By comparing the color of the back surface (light-colored portion 809a) of the ball polishing cloth 804 without ball stains, the degree of dirt on the front surface (ball-stained portion 804a) can be confirmed.

Alternatively, as shown in Figure 54-7, by pulling the protruding portion of the ball polishing cloth 804 of the ball polishing cassette 800 removed from the cassette mounting recess 668b and pulling out a portion of it, it becomes possible to visually check the back surface (light-colored portion 809a) of the ball polishing cloth 804, which is free of ball dirt. This allows the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 to be confirmed by comparing the color of the surface (ball dirt-adhered portion 804a) of the ball polishing cloth 804 with the color of the back surface (light-colored portion 809a).

Furthermore, when pulling out the ball polishing cloth 804 as shown in Figure 54-7, since the ball polishing cloth 804 is in the form of an endless belt, when the ball polishing cloth 804 is pulled out through the slit 801f on one side, the portion that was housed inside is pulled out to the outside, and the portion that was pulled out is housed back in through the slit 801f on the opposite side. In other words, the entire circumference of the ball polishing cloth 804 can be checked. This makes it possible to check whether ball dirt is evenly adhered around the entire circumference of the ball polishing cloth 804, which can be used as one of the factors to determine when it is time to replace the ball polishing cassette 800. It is also possible to check for defects such as scratches or tears in the ball polishing cloth 804.

As described above, if the back surface of the ball polishing cloth 804 is used as the dirt comparison object 809, the entire surface of the ball polishing cloth 804 may be used as the ball dirt adhesion area 804a.

The color of the underside of the ball polishing cloth 804 may also be the same as or a similar color (dark color) to the color when ball dirt has accumulated and it is time to replace it. In other words, the underside of the ball polishing cloth 804 may be the dark colored portion 809b. By comparing the color of the surface of the ball polishing cloth 804 (the dirty ball portion 804a) with the color of the underside of the ball polishing cloth 804 (dark colored portion 809b), it is possible to determine whether the ball polishing cassette 800 (ball polishing cloth 804) needs to be replaced. In other words, if the color of the surface of the ball polishing cloth 804 is the same as or similar to the color of the underside, it can be determined that the ball polishing cassette 800 (ball polishing cloth 804) needs to be replaced, making it easy to determine when it is time to replace it.

[4-5-1g. Checking the dirt on the polishing cloth 3]
In the above embodiment, the ball-soiling-free portions 804b near both ends of the ball polishing cloth 804 are light-colored portions 809a (the original color of the ball polishing cloth 804). However, this is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 54-9, at least one ball-soiling-free portion 804b may be dark-colored portion 809b, the color of which serves as a comparison target 809 for soiling. The color of this dark portion 809b is the same or similar (dark) color as the color of the ball polishing cloth when ball soiling has occurred and it is time to replace it. Here, FIG. 54-9 is an explanatory diagram showing the degree of soiling of a ball polishing cloth having a dark portion. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which no soiling has occurred on the ball polishing cloth, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which some soiling has occurred on the ball polishing cloth, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which soiling has occurred on the ball polishing cloth and it is time to replace it.

In this embodiment, one of the two ball soil non-adherent portions 804b is light-colored (light-colored portion 809a) and the other is dark-colored (dark-colored portion 809b). Even in this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 (both the ball soil adhering portion 804a and the ball soil non-adhering portion 804b (dark-colored portion 809b)) stored inside can be seen from the outside through the transparent cassette body 801 and transparent cassette lid 802.

As a result, by comparing the color of the ball soiling portion 804a with the color of the light-colored ball soiling non-adherent portion 804b (light-colored portion 809a), it is possible to determine whether the ball soiling portion 804a is soiled with ball soil (see Figures 54-9(a) and (b)). Also, by comparing the color of the ball soiling portion 804a with the color of the dark-colored ball soiling non-adherent portion 804b (dark portion 809b), it is possible to determine whether the ball polishing cassette 800 needs to be replaced (see Figure 54-9(c)). In other words, if the color of the ball soiling portion 804a is the same as or similar to the color of the dark portion 809b, it can be determined that the ball polishing cassette 800 (ball polishing cloth 804) needs to be replaced, making it easy to determine when it is time to replace it.

In addition, because the ball soiling portion 804a and the dark portion 809b of this ball polishing cloth 804 are in contact with each other, as the soiling of the ball soiling portion 804a progresses and its color becomes similar to that of the dark portion 809b, the boundary between the ball soiling portion 804a and the dark portion 809b becomes unclear (see Figure 54-9 (c)). This makes it easier to compare colors, allowing for a more accurate determination of when to replace the ball polishing cassette 800.

In this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804, which has a dark colored portion 809b in the ball soil-resistant portion 804b, is housed inside the transparent cassette body 801, so the ball polishing cloth 804 can be seen from outside the ball polishing cassette 800, allowing the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 to be confirmed.

Furthermore, as described above, even when the ball polishing cassette 800 is attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 on the main body frame 4, the ball polishing cloth 804 inside can be seen from the outside (front). As a result, when the door frame 3 located in front of the main body frame 4 is opened, the ball polishing cassette 800 located on the front side of the main body frame 4 can be seen, and the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be easily confirmed. In other words, simply by opening the door frame 3, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be confirmed. Therefore, because the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be easily confirmed, it is less likely that the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing cassette 800) will need to be replaced, and the ball polishing cassette 800 can be replaced with one having a clean ball polishing cloth 804.

In addition, the ball polishing cloth 804 may have the ball soiling adhesion portion 804a as the light-colored portion 809a, and the two ball soiling non-adherence portions 804b on both sides as the dark-colored portions 809b. This can also achieve the same effects as above.

[4-5-1h. Checking for dirt on the polishing cloth 4]
In the above, the ball polishing cloth 804 (non-ball soiled portion 804b) is used as the dirt comparison object 809 for checking the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804, but this is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 54-10, the light-colored portion as the dirt comparison object 809 may be provided on another component of the ball polishing cassette 800 other than the ball polishing cloth 804. Figure 54-10 is a front view of the ball polishing cassette showing the light-colored portion made of a sticker attached to the front of the cassette body.

In this embodiment, a light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is attached to the front of the cassette body 801, which is another component of the polishing cassette 800. The color of this light-colored portion 809aa is the same as or a similar color (a light color such as white) to the color of the unsoiled polishing cloth 804. In this embodiment, the light-colored portion 809aa is formed in a strip shape with a width smaller than the width of the polishing cloth 804 and a length shorter than the height of the cassette body 801 (the height of the portion of the polishing cloth 804 that is wrapped around the second roller 803b and third roller 803c).

The light-colored portion 809aa made of this sticker is arranged to overlap part of the non-ball soiling portion 804b of the ball polishing cloth 804 when viewed from the front. In other words, the light-colored portion 809aa is arranged to contact the ball soiling portion 804a of the ball polishing cloth 804. In this embodiment, too, both the light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker affixed to the front of the cassette body 801 and the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball soiling portion 804a) housed inside can be seen simultaneously from the outside through the transparent cassette body 801.

By comparing the color of the light-colored portion 809aa attached to the front of the cassette body 801 with the color of the ball soiling portion 804a on the ball polishing cloth 804, it is possible to determine whether the ball soiling portion 804a is soiled with ball soil, and it is easy to determine whether the ball polishing cassette 800 needs to be replaced.

In this embodiment, the light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is affixed to the front of the transparent cassette body 801. Therefore, even when the ball polishing cassette 800 is attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 on the main body frame 4, the internal ball polishing cloth 804 (ball soiling portion 804a) and the light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker can be simultaneously seen from the outside (front). This means that when the door frame 3 located in front of the main body frame 4 is opened, the ball polishing cassette 800 and the light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker located on the front side of the main body frame 4 can be seen, making it easy to check the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804. In other words, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be checked simply by opening the door frame 3. Therefore, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be easily confirmed, making it less likely that the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing cassette 800) will need to be replaced, and the ball polishing cassette 800 can be replaced with one that has a clean ball polishing cloth 804.

In the above embodiment, the length (height) of the light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is shorter than the height of the portion of the polishing cloth 804 that is wrapped around the second roller 803b and the third roller 803c. However, this is not limited to this, and the length of the light-colored portion 809aa may be the same as the height of the portion of the polishing cloth 804 that is wrapped around the second roller 803b and the third roller 803c, or it may be longer than that.

In addition, in the above embodiment, one light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is attached to the front surface of the cassette body 801, but this is not limited to this, and multiple light-colored portions 809aa may be attached. When multiple light-colored portions 809aa made of stickers are attached, they may be attached, for example, to two locations on either side of the ball soiling portion 804a of the ball polishing cloth 804 when viewed from the front of the cassette body 801.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the bright color portion 809aa made of a sticker was shown attached to the cassette body 801, but this is not limited to this. For example, it may be attached to the cassette lid 802, which is a component of the Kuma cassette 800.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is attached to other components of the polishing cassette 800 other than the polishing cloth 804, but this is not limited to this. For example, light-colored portions may be applied to other components by painting with paint, printing with ink, etc. This can also achieve the same effects as above.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is attached to another component of the polishing cassette 800 other than the polishing cloth 804, thereby providing a light-colored portion. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the cassette lid 802, as another component, may be formed from a light-colored synthetic resin, thereby providing the light-colored portion to the cassette lid 802 itself. Alternatively, since the tension spring 805 is light-colored, the tension spring 805 may also be provided as a light-colored portion as another component. In this way, when the other component itself is provided as a light-colored portion, it is easier to provide the light-colored portion than when a light-colored portion is provided by attaching a sticker, painting, printing, etc., and the same effects as those described above can be achieved.

[4-5-1i. Checking for dirt on the ball polishing cloth 5]
In the above, a light-colored portion 809a as a comparison object 809 for dirt to check the degree of dirt on the polishing cloth 804 is provided on another component of the polishing cassette 800 other than the polishing cloth 804, but this is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 54-11, a dark-colored portion as a comparison object 809 for dirt may be provided on another component of the polishing cassette 800 other than the polishing cloth 804. Figure 54-11 is a front view of a polishing cassette with a dark-colored portion made of a sticker attached to the front of the cassette body.

In this embodiment, a dark colored portion 809bb made of a sticker is attached to the front of the cassette body 801, which is another component of the ball polishing cassette 800. The color of this dark colored portion 809bb is the same as or a similar color (dark color) to the color of the ball polishing cloth 804 when it is time to replace it due to ball soiling. In this embodiment, the dark colored portion 809bb is formed in a strip shape with a width smaller than the width of the ball polishing cloth 804 and a length shorter than the height of the cassette body 801 (the height of the portion of the ball polishing cloth 804 that is wrapped around the second roller 803b and third roller 803c).

The dark colored portion 809bb made of this sticker is arranged to overlap a portion of the non-ball soiling portion 804b of the ball polishing cloth 804 when viewed from the front. In other words, the dark colored portion 809bb is arranged to contact the ball soiling portion 804a of the ball polishing cloth 804. In this embodiment, too, both the dark colored portion 809bb made of the sticker attached to the front of the cassette body 801 and the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball soiling portion 804a) housed inside can be seen simultaneously from the outside through the transparent cassette body 801.

As a result, by comparing the color of the dark portion 809bb attached to the front of the cassette body 801 with the color of the soiled ball portion 804a on the ball polishing cloth 804, it is possible to determine whether the ball polishing cassette 800 needs to be replaced. In other words, if the color of the soiled ball portion 804a is the same as or similar to the color of the dark portion 809bb made of a sticker, it can be determined that the ball polishing cassette 800 (ball polishing cloth 804) needs to be replaced, making it easy to determine when it is time to replace it.

In this embodiment, the dark-colored portion 809bb made of a sticker is affixed to the front of the transparent cassette body 801. Therefore, even when the ball polishing cassette 800 is attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 on the main body frame 4, the internal ball polishing cloth 804 (ball soiling portion 804a) and the dark-colored portion 809bb made of a sticker can be simultaneously seen from the outside (front). This means that when the door frame 3 located in front of the main body frame 4 is opened, the ball polishing cassette 800 and the dark-colored portion 809bb made of a sticker located on the front side of the main body frame 4 can be seen, making it easy to check the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804. In other words, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be checked simply by opening the door frame 3. Therefore, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be easily confirmed, making it less likely that the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing cassette 800) will need to be replaced, and the ball polishing cassette 800 can be replaced with one that has a clean ball polishing cloth 804.

In the above embodiment, the length (height) of the dark colored portion 809bb made of a sticker is shorter than the height of the portion of the polishing cloth 804 that is wrapped around the second roller 803b and the third roller 803c. However, this is not limited to this, and the length of the dark colored portion 809bb may be the same as the height of the portion of the polishing cloth 804 that is wrapped around the second roller 803b and the third roller 803c, or it may be longer.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows one dark-colored section 809bb made of a sticker attached to the front surface of the cassette body 801, this is not limited to this, and multiple dark-colored sections 809bb may be attached. When multiple dark-colored sections 809bb made of stickers are attached, they may be attached, for example, to two locations on either side of the ball soiling section 804a of the ball polishing cloth 804 when viewed from the front of the cassette body 801.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the dark colored portion 809bb made of a sticker was shown attached to the cassette body 801, but this is not limited to this. For example, it may be attached to the cassette lid 802, which is a component of the Kuma cassette 800.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a dark colored portion 809bb made of a sticker is attached to other components of the polishing cassette 800 other than the polishing cloth 804, but this is not limited to this. For example, dark colored portions may be applied to other components by painting with paint, printing with ink, etc. This can also achieve the same effects as above.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a dark-colored portion 809bb made of a sticker is attached to other components of the polishing cassette 800 other than the polishing cloth 804, thereby providing dark-colored portions. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the cassette lid 802, which is another component, may be made of a dark-colored synthetic resin, thereby providing the dark-colored portion of the cassette lid 802 itself. Alternatively, since the cloth guide 808, the polishing driven gear 807, etc. are dark-colored, the cloth guide 808, etc. may also be provided as a dark-colored portion as another component. In this way, when other components themselves are provided with dark-colored portions, it is easier to provide the dark-colored portions than when dark-colored portions are provided by attaching a sticker, painting, printing, etc., and the same effects as those described above can be achieved.

[4-5-1j. Check for dirt on the polishing cloth 6]
In the above, the bright colored portion as a comparison object 809 for checking the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 is provided on the ball polishing cassette 800 itself, like the ball polishing cloth 804 or other components, but this is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 54-12, a bright colored portion 809aa may be provided on the mounting portion where the ball polishing cassette 800 is mounted. Figure 54-12 is an enlarged front view showing the main part of the main body frame with the ball polishing cassette attached to the ball lifting unit and a bright colored portion made of a sticker attached near the ball polishing cassette.

Here, the mounting parts to which the ball-lifting cassette 800 is attached include the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668, the cassette pressing piece 693, the Nylatch 694, the ball lifting unit 650, the ball lifting mechanism 660, the main frame base 501, etc.

In this embodiment, the light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is attached to a portion of the front surface of the main frame 4 near the ball polishing cassette 800 as an attachment portion for the ball polishing cassette 800. More specifically, the light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is attached to the front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4, in a portion above and to the right of the cassette mounting recess 668b in the lifting mechanism base 668 of the ball lifting unit 650. The color of this light-colored portion 809aa is the same as or a similar color (a light color such as white) to the color of an unsoiled ball polishing cloth 804. In this embodiment, the light-colored portion 809aa is a circular sticker.

In this embodiment, both the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball soiling portion 804a) inside the ball polishing cassette 800 and the light-colored portion 809aa consisting of a sticker attached to the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501 of the main body frame 4 can be simultaneously viewed from the outside (front of the main body frame 4) through transparent members such as the cassette body 801 and cassette lid 802.

By comparing the color of the light-colored portion 809aa attached near the ball polishing cassette 800 with the color of the ball soiling portion 804a on the ball polishing cloth 804, it is possible to determine whether the ball soiling portion 804a is soiled with ball dirt, and it is easy to determine whether the ball polishing cassette 800 needs to be replaced.

In addition, in this embodiment, the light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is affixed to the front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501. Therefore, even when the ball polishing cassette 800 is attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 of the main body frame 4, the internal ball polishing cloth 804 (ball soiling portion 804a) and the light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker can be simultaneously viewed from the outside (front). As a result, when the door frame 3 located in front of the main body frame 4 is opened, the ball polishing cassette 800 and the light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker located on the front side of the main body frame 4 can be viewed, making it easy to check the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804. In other words, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be checked simply by opening the door frame 3. Therefore, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be easily confirmed, making it less likely that the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing cassette 800) will need to be replaced, and the ball polishing cassette 800 can be replaced with one that has a clean ball polishing cloth 804.

In addition, because the cassette pressing piece 693 that presses the ball polishing cassette 800 against the cassette mounting recess 668b is made of a transparent material, the ball polishing cloth 804 inside the ball polishing cassette 800 can be seen through the cassette pressing piece 693 while the ball polishing cassette 800 is still attached, allowing the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 to be confirmed. Even in this case, both the ball soiled portion 804a and the ball unsoiled portion 804b (light-colored portion 809a) can be seen from the outside through the transparent cassette pressing piece 693.

In the above embodiment, the brightly colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is attached to a portion of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501 near the Kuma cassette 800 (cassette mounting recess 668b), but this is not limited to this. The brightly colored portion 809aa made of a sticker may also be attached to the cassette pressing piece 693, Nylatch 694, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a bright colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is attached to the mounting portion where the Kuma cassette 800 is mounted, but this is not limited to this. For example, a bright colored portion may be provided on other components by painting with paint, printing with ink, etc. This can also achieve the same effects as above.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a light-colored portion 809aa made of a sticker is attached to the mounting portion where the ball-shaped cassette 800 is attached, but this is not limited to this. For example, the cassette pressing piece 693, Nylatch 694, etc. may be formed from a light-colored synthetic resin, so that the mounting portion itself, such as the cassette pressing piece 693 or Nylatch 694, becomes a light-colored portion. In this way, when the mounting portion of the ball-shaped cassette 800 itself becomes a light-colored portion, it is easier to provide a light-colored portion than when a light-colored portion is provided by attaching a sticker, painting, printing, etc., and the same effects as those described above can be achieved.

[4-5-1k. Check for dirt on the ball polishing cloth 7]
In the above, the dark colored portion as a comparison object 809 for checking the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 is provided on the ball polishing cassette 800 itself, like the ball polishing cloth 804 or other components, but this is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 54-13, a dark colored portion 809bb may be provided on the mounting portion where the ball polishing cassette 800 is mounted. Figure 54-13 is an enlarged front view showing the main part of the main body frame with the ball polishing cassette attached to the ball lifting unit and a dark colored portion made of a sticker attached near the ball polishing cassette.

Here, the mounting parts to which the ball-lifting cassette 800 is attached include the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668, the cassette pressing piece 693, the Nylatch 694, the ball lifting unit 650, the ball lifting mechanism 660, the main frame base 501, etc.

In this embodiment, the dark portion 809bb made of a sticker is attached to a portion of the front surface of the main body frame 4 near the ball polishing cassette 800 as an attachment portion for the ball polishing cassette 800. More specifically, the dark portion 809bb made of a sticker is attached to the front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501 of the main body frame 4, in a portion above and to the right of the cassette mounting recess 668b in the lifting mechanism base 668 of the ball lifting unit 650. The color of this dark portion 809bb is the same as or a similar color (dark color) to the color of the ball polishing cloth 804 when it becomes dirty and needs to be replaced. In this embodiment, the dark portion 809bb is a circular sticker.

In this embodiment, both the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball soiling area 804a) inside the ball polishing cassette 800 and the dark area 809bb consisting of a sticker attached to the base wall 501b of the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4 can be simultaneously viewed from the outside (front of the main frame 4) through transparent members such as the cassette body 801 and cassette lid 802.

By comparing the color of the dark portion 809bb attached near the ball polishing cassette 800 with the color of the soiled ball portion 804a on the ball polishing cloth 804, it is possible to determine whether the ball polishing cassette 800 (ball polishing cloth 804) needs to be replaced. In other words, if the color of the ball polishing cloth 804 (soiled ball portion 804a) is the same as or similar to the color of the dark portion 809bb made of a sticker, it can be determined that the ball polishing cassette 800 (ball polishing cloth 804) needs to be replaced, making it easy to determine when it is time to replace it.

In addition, in this embodiment, the dark-colored portion 809bb made of a sticker is affixed to the front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501. Therefore, even when the ball polishing cassette 800 is attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 of the main body frame 4, the internal ball polishing cloth 804 (ball soiling portion 804a) and the dark-colored portion 809bb made of a sticker can be simultaneously viewed from the outside (front). As a result, when the door frame 3 provided in front of the main body frame 4 is opened, the ball polishing cassette 800 and the dark-colored portion 809bb made of a sticker provided on the front side of the main body frame 4 can be viewed, making it easy to check the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804. In other words, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be checked simply by opening the door frame 3. Therefore, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be easily confirmed, making it less likely that the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing cassette 800) will need to be replaced, and the ball polishing cassette 800 can be replaced with one that has a clean ball polishing cloth 804.

In addition, because the cassette pressing piece 693 that presses the ball polishing cassette 800 against the cassette mounting recess 668b is made of a transparent material, the ball polishing cloth 804 inside the ball polishing cassette 800 can be seen through the cassette pressing piece 693 while the ball polishing cassette 800 is still attached, allowing the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 to be confirmed. Even in this case, both the ball soiled portion 804a and the ball unsoiled portion 804b (light-colored portion 809a) can be seen from the outside through the transparent cassette pressing piece 693.

In the above embodiment, the dark colored portion 809bb made of a sticker is attached to a portion of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501 near the Kuma cassette 800 (cassette mounting recess 668b), but this is not limited to this. The dark colored portion 809bb made of a sticker may also be attached to the cassette pressing piece 693, Nylatch 694, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a dark colored portion 809bb made of a sticker is attached to the mounting portion where the Kuma cassette 800 is mounted, but this is not limited to this. For example, dark colored portions may be provided on other components by painting with paint, printing with ink, etc. This can also achieve the same effects as above.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a dark portion 809bb made of a sticker is attached to the mounting portion where the Kuma cassette 800 is attached, thereby providing a dark portion. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the cassette pressing piece 693, Nylatch 694, etc. may be formed from a light-colored synthetic resin, so that the mounting portion itself, such as the cassette pressing piece 693 or Nylatch 694, is a dark portion. In this way, when the mounting portion of the Kuma cassette 800 itself is a dark portion, it is easier to provide a dark portion than when a dark portion is provided by attaching a sticker, painting, printing, etc., and the same effects as those described above can be achieved.

[4-5-1l. Additional notes on ball polishing]
In the above embodiment, the ball polishing cassette 800 includes an endless belt-like ball polishing cloth 804 that rotates while polishing the game ball B, but this is not limited to this. For example, the game ball B may be polished using a detachable sponge-like ball polishing member. Even in this case, it is desirable to provide the ball polishing member with a ball soiling portion where the game ball B comes into contact and ball soiling adheres, and a ball soiling-free portion where the game ball B does not come into contact and ball soiling does not adhere, and to make both the ball soiling portion and the ball soiling-free portion visible from the outside at the same time. This allows the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member to be confirmed by comparing the color of the ball soiling portion with the color of the ball soiling-free portion, thereby achieving the same effect as described above.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 is shown as an endless belt that rotates, but this is not limited to this. For example, the ball polishing cloth may be in the form of a belt with ends, and the ball polishing cassette may be provided with a first reel on which the belt-shaped ball polishing cloth is pre-wound, and a second reel to which the tip of the ball polishing cloth extending from the first reel is attached, with the ball polishing cloth moving so that it is wound from the first reel onto the second reel. In this case, when the ball polishing cloth is wound onto the second reel, the rotation direction of the first and second reels may automatically reverse, and the ball polishing cloth may be wound from the second reel onto the first reel.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a ball polishing member such as ball polishing cloth 804 is housed in a cassette, and the cassette is attached to a mounting portion for polishing game balls B. However, this is not limited to this. For example, a ball polishing member that is not housed in a case-shaped cassette may be attached to the mounting portion. Even in this case, it is desirable to provide the ball polishing member with a ball soiling portion where game balls B come into contact and ball soil adheres, and a ball soiling non-adherent portion where game balls B do not come into contact and ball soiling cannot adhere, and to make both the ball soiling portion and the ball soiling non-adherent portion visible from the outside at the same time. In this way, by comparing the color of the ball soiling portion and the color of the ball soiling non-adherent portion, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member can be confirmed, achieving the same effect as above.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the ball polishing cassette 800 is detachably mounted from the front of the main frame 4, and the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing member) inside the ball polishing cassette 800 can be viewed from the outside (front) by opening the door frame 3, but this is not limited to this. For example, the ball polishing cassette (ball polishing member) may be mounted on the outer frame, and the dirty ball-attached and non-dirty ball-attached portions of the ball polishing member may be simultaneously visible from the outside by opening the main frame. Alternatively, the ball polishing member may be mounted on the rear side of the door frame, and the dirty ball-attached and non-dirty ball-attached portions of the ball polishing member may be simultaneously visible from the outside by opening the door frame. These arrangements can also achieve the same effect as above, allowing the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member to be checked.

[4-5-2. Identification marks on Kuma cassettes]
Next, the identification marks 810 provided on the polishing cassette 800 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to FIG. 54-14. FIG. 54-14(a) is a left side view of the cassette lid of the polishing cassette shown together with the identification marks, and (b) is a right side view of the cassette body of the polishing cassette shown together with the identification marks. Note that in FIG. 54-14, the identification marks 810 are shaded for ease of understanding. In the polishing cassette 800 of this embodiment, various identification marks 810 are provided on the components (unit components) such as the cassette body 801 and cassette lid 802 that make up the polishing cassette 800 (polishing unit).

More specifically, the cassette lid 802, which is a unit component, is provided with a plurality of first identification marks 811 of a predetermined configuration, and the cassette body 801, which is a unit component different from the cassette lid 802, is provided with a plurality of second identification marks 812 of a different configuration from the first identification marks 811. Furthermore, the cassette body 801 is provided with a plurality of third identification marks 813 of a different configuration from the first identification marks 811 and second identification marks 812.

In addition to the first identification mark 811, the cassette lid 802 is provided with a special identification mark 814 indicating that the unit component is eligible for reuse. Furthermore, the cassette body 801 and cassette lid 802 are provided with a specific identification mark 815 that is different in appearance from the first identification mark 811, second identification mark 812, third identification mark 813, and special identification mark 814. Furthermore, the cassette body 801 is provided with a second specific identification mark 816 that is different in appearance from the specific identification mark 815.

[4-5-2a. First identification mark]
First, the first identification marks 811 will be described. As shown in FIG. 54-14(a), the cassette lid 802, which is a unit component, has a plurality of first identification marks 811 formed in areas unlikely to come into contact with the polishing cloth 804 (polishing member). The first identification marks 811 are formed on the left side surface of the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802, i.e., on the inner surface. The first identification marks 811 are circular and slightly protrude or recessed relative to the surrounding surfaces. Because the first identification marks 811 have a different form from the second identification marks 812 and the third identification marks 813, when viewing both the cassette body 801 and the cassette lid 802, it is possible to determine which side has the first identification marks 811.

As shown in Figure 54-4 (c), the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802 is spaced apart from the side of the polishing cloth 804, so the polishing cloth 804 does not come into contact with the first identification mark 811. In other words, the first identification mark 811 will not be scratched or stained by the polishing cloth 804. Furthermore, because the first identification mark 811 is located on the inner surface (left side) of the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802, it is not exposed to the outside when the polishing cassette 800 is in its original state. Therefore, even if a worker holds the polishing cassette 800 during maintenance, for example, they will not come into contact with the first identification mark 811, and dirt will not adhere to the first identification mark 811 from the outside.

In this embodiment, the first identification mark 811 indicates that the unit component on which the first identification mark 811 is provided (here, the cassette lid 802) is a reusable component. This makes it easy to determine whether a unit component of multiple types is reusable or not, depending on whether the first identification mark 811 is provided. Therefore, when disassembling the Kuma cassette 800 and separating the unit components to be reused from those to be non-reused, the presence or absence of the first identification mark 811 can be used to determine whether the unit components are to be reused, without having to carefully examine each disassembled unit component for dirt, scratches, etc., making it easy to separate the components for reuse.

In addition, in this embodiment, a first identification mark 811 is provided on the cassette lid 802, which allows the polishing cloth 804 to be removed when removed from the polishing cassette 800. As a result, the polishing cloth 804 can be removed by removing the cassette lid 802, which has the first identification mark 811, from the polishing cassette 800. Therefore, when replacing the polishing cloth 804, the polishing cloth 804 can be removed simply by removing the cassette lid 802, which has the first identification mark 811, without having to refer to instructions or the like, making maintenance work such as replacing the polishing cloth 804 easy to perform.

The first identification mark 811 may be an "extrusion mark (demolding mark) left on the product by a mechanism (e.g., an ejector pin, a push-up core, a direct lift core, an ejection core, etc.) for removing the product from the molding die (metal mold) after molding the product," "a mark from the injection port (gate) used to inject molten resin into the mold," "a parting line formed by the cut surface of the injection molding die," "an engraving for the first identification mark," etc. Furthermore, the shape of the first identification mark 811 may be circular, polygonal such as a triangle, square, pentagon, or hexagon, or irregular such as a semicircle, star, heart, or clover. Furthermore, the shape of the first identification mark 811 may be protruding from the surrounding surface, recessed from the surrounding surface, or inclined relative to the surrounding surface.

[4-5-2b. Second identification mark]
Next, the second identification marks 812 will be described. As shown in FIG. 54-14(b), the cassette body 801, which is a unit component separate from the cassette lid 802, is provided with a plurality of second identification marks 812 having a different configuration from the first identification marks 811. The second identification marks 812 are provided on the right side surface of the side wall 801a of the cassette body 801, i.e., the inner surface. The second identification marks 812 have a polygonal shape different from the first identification marks 811 and are slightly protruding or recessed relative to the surrounding surfaces. Many of the plurality of second identification marks 812 are larger than the first identification marks 811. Therefore, when looking at both the cassette body 801 and the cassette lid 802, it is possible to determine which side has the second identification mark 812 based on its shape and size.

As shown in Figure 54-4 (c), the side wall 801a of the cassette body 801 is spaced apart from the side of the polishing cloth 804, so the polishing cloth 804 does not come into contact with the second identification mark 812, and the polishing cloth 804 does not scratch or stain the second identification mark 812. However, because the polishing cloth 804 is housed within the cassette body 801, it is more likely to come into contact with the second identification mark 812 than the first identification mark 811 on the cassette lid 802, and therefore the second identification mark 812 is more likely to become soiled than the first identification mark 811.

The second identification mark 812 is provided on the inner surface (right side) of the side wall 801a of the cassette body 801, and is not exposed to the outside when the ball-cutting cassette 800 is in its state. Therefore, even if a worker holds the ball-cutting cassette 800 during maintenance, for example, they will not come into contact with the second identification mark 812, and dirt will not adhere to the second identification mark 812 from the outside.

In this embodiment, the second identification mark 812 indicates that the unit component on which the second identification mark 812 is provided (here, the cassette body 801) is the next most reusable component after the unit component on which the first identification mark 811 is provided. As a result, when searching for the next reusable component after reusing the unit component on which the first identification mark 811 is provided among multiple types of unit components, the next reusable component can be easily found by checking whether or not the second identification mark 812 is provided. Therefore, when disassembling the Kuma cassette 800 and separating the unit components to be reused from those that will not be reused, the presence or absence of the second identification mark 812 can be used to determine whether the unit components can be reused, without having to carefully examine each disassembled unit component for dirt, scratches, etc., making the separation process for reuse easier.

In addition, if the second identification mark 812 on the cassette body 801 is the first to become dirty or scratched, it is desirable to determine that the cassette cannot be reused. In other words, the second identification mark 812 may be used to determine whether or not the cassette can be reused.

The second identification mark 812 may be an "extrusion mark (demolding mark) left on the product by a mechanism (e.g., ejector pin, push-up core, direct-lift core, ejection core, etc.) for removing the product from the molding die (metal mold) after molding the product," "a mark from the injection port (gate) used to inject molten resin into the mold," "a parting line formed by the cut surface of the injection molding die," "an engraving for the second identification mark," etc. Furthermore, the shape of the second identification mark 812 may be circular, polygonal such as a triangle, square, pentagon, or hexagon, or irregular such as a semicircle, star, heart, or clover. Furthermore, the shape of the second identification mark 812 may be protruding from the surrounding surface, recessed from the surrounding surface, or inclined relative to the surrounding surface.

In the above, the second identification mark 812, which differs in shape from the first identification mark 811, is shown to have a polygonal (octagonal) shape, but this is not limited to this and other shapes are also possible. The second identification mark 812 may also have the same shape as the first identification mark 811. In this case, the first identification mark 811 may be made to protrude from the surrounding surface and the second identification mark 812 may be made to be recessed from the surrounding surface, or the first identification mark 811 may be made to be recessed from the surrounding surface and the second identification mark 812 may be made to protrude from the surrounding surface. In this way, it is possible to achieve different shapes.

[4-5-2c. Third identification mark]
Next, the third identification mark 813 will be described. As shown in FIG. 54-14(b), the cassette body 801 is provided with a plurality of third identification marks 813 that are different in appearance from the first identification marks 811 and the second identification marks 812. The third identification marks 813 are provided on the right side surface, i.e., the inner surface, of the side wall 801a of the cassette body 801. The third identification mark 813 has a rectangular shape that differs from the first identification marks 811 and the second identification marks 812, and is slightly protruding or recessed relative to the surrounding surfaces.

As shown in Figure 54-4 (c), the side wall 801a of the cassette body 801 is spaced apart from the side of the polishing cloth 804, so the polishing cloth 804 does not come into contact with the third identification mark 813, and the polishing cloth 804 does not cause scratches or dirt to adhere to the third identification mark 813. However, because the polishing cloth 804 is housed within the cassette body 801, it is more likely to come into contact with the third identification mark 813 than the first identification mark 811 on the cassette lid 802, and therefore dirt is more likely to adhere to the third identification mark 813 than to the first identification mark 811.

A plurality of third identification marks 813 are provided along the circumferential route of the ball polishing cloth 804. Specifically, two third identification marks 813 are provided between the first wall portion 801k and the fourth wall portion 801n so as to contact the first wall portion 801k; two third identification marks 813 are provided between the fourth wall portion 801n and the front wall 801b so as to contact the fourth wall portion 801n; one third identification mark 813 is provided between the fifth wall portion 801o and the spring mounting portion 801t so as to contact the spring mounting portion 801t; one third identification mark 813 is provided between the third wall portion 801m and the rear wall 801c so as to contact the third wall portion 801m; and one third identification mark 813 is provided between the fifth wall portion 801o and the first shaft boss 802c so as to contact the fifth wall portion 801o.

According to this embodiment, when assembling the ball polishing cassette 800 (ball polishing unit), the ball polishing cloth 804 can be set on the circumferential route by setting it so that it passes through the side of a wall portion, such as the first wall portion 801k or the fourth wall portion 801n, where the third identification mark 813 is provided. This allows the ball polishing cassette 800 to be easily assembled without any mistakes.

Furthermore, after assembling the ball polishing cassette 800, the positional relationship between the ball polishing cloth 804 and the third identification mark 813 can be seen through the transparent cassette body 801, making it possible to confirm whether the ball polishing cloth 804 is correctly set on the circulating route.

The third identification mark 813 may be an "extrusion mark (demolding mark) left on the product by a mechanism (e.g., ejector pin, push-up core, direct-lift core, ejection core, etc.) for removing the product from the molding die (metal mold) after molding the product," "a mark from the injection port (gate) used to inject molten resin into the mold," "a parting line formed by the cut surface of the injection molding die," "an engraving for the third identification mark," etc. Furthermore, the shape of the third identification mark 813 may be circular, polygonal such as a triangle, square, pentagon, or hexagon, or irregular such as a semicircle, star, heart, or clover. Furthermore, the shape of the third identification mark 813 may be protruding from the surrounding surface, recessed from the surrounding surface, or inclined relative to the surrounding surface.

[4-5-2d. Special identification marks]
Next, the special identification mark 814 will be described. As shown in FIG. 54-14(a), the cassette lid 802 is provided with a special identification mark 814 consisting of the words "Reusable." The special identification mark 814 is provided on the left side of the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802, i.e., on the inside surface. The special identification mark 814 is formed so that it can be read correctly through the transparent cassette lid 802 when the Kuma cassette 800 is viewed from the outside, and appears as mirror image when viewed from the back (inside) as shown in FIG. 54-14(a). This special identification mark 814 indicates that the unit component (here, the cassette lid 802) is a reusable component.

As described above, the cassette lid 802 is provided with a special identification mark 814. This means that when disassembling the Kuma cassette 800 and separating the unit components to be reused from those to be non-reused, the presence or absence of the special identification mark 814 makes it possible to determine that the cassette lid 802 is a unit component to be reused, without having to meticulously inspect each disassembled unit component for dirt, scratches, etc., making the separation process for reuse easier.

The special identification mark 814 protrudes from the surrounding surface to the extent that it does not come into contact with the polishing cloth 804. The amount of protrusion of the special identification mark 814 is greater than the first identification mark 811 to the third identification mark 813. As described above, the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802 is spaced apart from the side of the polishing cloth 804, as shown in Figure 54-4 (c), so the polishing cloth 804 does not come into contact with the special identification mark 814. In other words, the special identification mark 814 is not scratched or stained by the polishing cloth 804. Furthermore, because the special identification mark 814 is provided on the inner surface (left side) of the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802, it is not exposed to the outside when the polishing cassette 800 is in its unused state. Therefore, even if a worker holds the polishing cassette 800 during maintenance, for example, they will not come into contact with the special identification mark 814, and the special identification mark 814 will not become soiled from the outside.

Note that, although the phrase "reusable" was shown above as the special identification mark 814, it is not limited to this and other phrases may also be used.

[4-5-2e. Specific identification marks]
Next, the specific identification mark 815 will be described. As shown in FIG. 54-14 and other figures, the cassette body 801 and the cassette lid 802 are provided with the specific identification mark 815. The specific identification mark 815 is provided on the right side (inner surface) of the side wall 801a of the cassette body 801 and on the left side (inner surface) of the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802. The specific identification mark 815 of the cassette body 801 is provided in a portion of the side wall 801a outside the second shaft hole 801q. The specific identification mark 815 of the cassette lid 802 is provided in a portion of the side wall 802a outside the first shaft hole 802g and the second shaft hole 802h. The specific identification mark 815 can be seen from the outside through the transparent cassette body 801 and the transparent cassette lid 802.

In this embodiment, the specific identification mark 815 indicates the rotation direction of the polishing feed gear 806 and the polishing driven gear 807, which feed (circulate) the polishing cloth 804, and is shaped like an arrow with the tip of the arrow pointing in the direction of rotation. As a result, when moving a protruding portion of the polishing cloth 804 back inside through the lower slit 801f (rotating the polishing cloth 804), the tip of a screwdriver can be inserted into the tool hole 806d of the polishing feed gear 806 or the tool hole 807c of the polishing driven gear 807, and then rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow on the specific identification mark 815 located adjacent to the tool hole 806d or tool hole 807c into which the tip of the screwdriver has been inserted, thereby storing (sending) the polishing cloth 804 inside. This makes it difficult to confuse the rotation direction of the screwdriver.

The specific identification mark 815 protrudes from the surrounding surface to the extent that it does not come into contact with the ball polishing cloth 804. The amount of protrusion of the specific identification mark 815 is greater than the first identification mark 811 to the third identification mark 813, etc. As described above, the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802 is spaced apart from the side of the ball polishing cloth 804, as shown in Figure 54-4 (c), and the ball polishing cloth 804 does not come into contact with the specific identification mark 815. In other words, the ball polishing cloth 804 does not scratch or stain the specific identification mark 815. Furthermore, since the specific identification mark 815 is provided on the inner surface (right side) of the side wall 801a of the cassette body 801 and the inner surface (left side) of the side wall 802a of the cassette lid 802, it is not exposed to the outside when the ball polishing cassette 800 is in its state. Therefore, even if a worker holds the ball-shaped cassette 800 during maintenance, the worker will not come into contact with the specific identification mark 815, and dirt will not adhere to the specific identification mark 815 from the outside.

[4-5-2f. Second specific identification mark]
Next, the second specific identification mark 816 will be described. The cassette body 801 is provided with the second specific identification mark 816 (see FIG. 54-1, etc.). The second specific identification mark 816 is provided on the upper part of the front surface (outer surface) of the front wall 801b of the cassette body 801. This second specific identification mark 816 consists of an upward arrow with the character "up" provided below it. This second specific identification mark 816 is provided so as to have an uneven surface relative to the surrounding surfaces.

In this embodiment, the second specific identification mark 816 indicates the installation orientation of the ball polishing cassette 800. Specifically, when installing the ball polishing cassette 800 in the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 of the ball lifting mechanism 660, the surface on which the second specific identification mark 816 is provided faces forward, and the arrow on the second specific identification mark 816 points upward. This allows the ball polishing cassette 800 to be installed in the correct orientation.

When looking at the ball-shaped cassette 800 attached to the cassette attachment recess 668b, if there is no second specific identification mark 816 on the front, or if there is a second specific identification mark 816 on the front but the arrow on the second specific identification mark 816 is pointing downwards (or the letters are facing backwards), it is clear that the ball-shaped cassette 800 is not attached in the correct orientation. In other words, by looking at the second specific identification mark 816, it is possible to confirm that the ball-shaped cassette 800 is attached in the correct orientation.

The second specific identification mark 816 is provided on the front surface (outer surface) of the front wall 801b of the cassette body 801, and therefore does not come into contact with the polishing cloth 804 provided inside when the polishing cassette 800 is in its state. This prevents dirt from the polishing cloth 804 from adhering to the second specific identification mark 816. Furthermore, the second specific identification mark 816 does not scratch the polishing cloth 804. Furthermore, because the polishing cassette 800 is box-shaped, workers hold the polishing cassette 800 by grasping both the left and right sides during maintenance, etc., which reduces the opportunity for workers to touch the front surface of the polishing cassette 800, making it less likely for dirt to adhere to the second specific identification mark 816 provided on the front surface.

[4-5-2g. Additional information on identification marks]
Incidentally, the polishing cassette 800 of this embodiment does not have any identification marks 810 such as the first identification mark 811 to the third identification mark 813 on the surface of the contact wall that comes into contact with the polishing cloth 804. Furthermore, no identification marks 810 such as the first identification mark 811 to the third identification mark 813 are provided on the surface of the contact wall opposite to the surface that comes into contact with the polishing cloth 804.

More specifically, the rear wall 801c of the cassette body 801 corresponds to the contact wall that comes into contact with the ball polishing cloth 804, and the rear surface (outer surface) of the rear wall 801c that comes into contact with the ball polishing cloth 804 does not have any identification marks 810 such as the first identification marks 811 to the third identification marks 813. As a result, the rear surface of the rear wall 801c does not have any irregularities due to the identification marks 810, and the rear surface of the rear wall 801c is a smooth, flat surface. Therefore, the ball polishing cloth 804 that comes into contact with the rear wall 801c can be pressed against the game ball B with a uniform force, preventing any ball dirt from being left unwiped. Furthermore, because the rear surface of the rear wall 801c does not have any irregularities due to the identification marks 810, even when the ball polishing cloth 804 comes into contact with the rear wall 801c, it will not become dirty or scratched, and the ball polishing cloth 804 will not be scratched.

However, if identification marks 810 were provided on the front surface (inner surface) of the rear wall 801c, when attempting to reuse the cassette body 801, there is a risk that the identification marks 810 on the rear wall 801c could be mistaken for scratches caused by the polishing cloth 804, resulting in the cassette body 801 being discarded despite being reusable. In contrast, in this embodiment, the rear wall 801c, which serves as a contact wall, does not have identification marks 810 such as the first identification marks 811 to the third identification marks 813 on its front surface (inner surface) opposite the rear surface (outer surface) that comes into contact with the polishing cloth 804. This prevents the identification marks 810 from being mistaken for scratches on the rear wall 801c, making it possible to more accurately determine whether the cassette body 801 is reusable and facilitating the sorting process for reuse.

[4-5-3. Modification 2 of Kuma Cassette]
Next, a third embodiment of the polishing cassette 800A will be described with reference to Fig. 54-15. Fig. 54-15 is a front perspective view of the polishing cassette of the third embodiment. With the exception of the cassette body 801, the components of this polishing cassette 800A are the same as those of the polishing cassette 800 described above. The same components are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

The cassette body 801 of the ball polishing cassette 800A of this embodiment is provided with a handle 801v for holding the ball polishing cassette 800A. The handle 801v protrudes forward from the front surface of the front wall 801b. This handle 801v, like the rest of the cassette body 801, is transparent. Therefore, with the ball polishing cassette 800A, the ball polishing cloth 804 inside can be seen from the outside through the handle 801v. In other words, both the ball soiled portion 804a and the non-ball soiled portion 804b of the ball polishing cloth 804 can be seen from the outside through the transparent handle 801v. Therefore, by comparing the color of the ball soiled portion 804a and the color of the non-ball soiled portion 804b from the outside, the degree of dirt on the ball soiled portion 804a can be confirmed, and it is easy to determine whether the ball polishing cloth 804 needs to be replaced.

In this Kuma cassette 800A, an identification mark 810 is provided on the handle 801v of the cassette body 801. In this embodiment, a first identification mark 811 is provided as the identification mark 810 on the handle 801v. The identification mark 810 on the handle 801v may also be a second identification mark 812. The identification mark 810 on the handle 801v indicates that the cassette body 801 is a reusable component, facilitating the sorting process for reuse. Note that if the cassette body 801 has dirt or scratches, it is desirable to make it non-reusable.

The polishing cassette 800A is also provided with a handle 801v for holding it. As a result, when holding the polishing cassette 800A during assembly work or maintenance, the handle 801v is touched, making it difficult to touch other parts of the polishing cassette 800A other than the handle 801v, and making it difficult for dirt and scratches to adhere to these other parts. Therefore, other components that do not have a handle 801v are also less likely to become dirty or scratched, making it possible to reuse more components and making more effective use of resources.

In the ball polishing cassette 800A of this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 may also be a ball polishing cloth 804 in which one of the ball soiling non-adherent portions 804b is a dark portion 809b, as shown in Figure 54-9. Alternatively, as shown in Figures 54-10 and 54-11, a light-colored portion 809a made of a sticker and a dark-colored portion 809b made of a sticker may be attached to the cassette body 801. Even in such cases, as described above, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be confirmed by comparing the color of the ball soiling portion 804a of the ball polishing cloth 804 with the colors of the light-colored portion 809a and dark-colored portion 809b.

Although not shown in the illustration, the handle 801v and cassette pressing piece 693 are positioned so that they do not interfere with each other. A handle accommodating section is provided on the door frame 3 side to accommodate (accommodate) the handle 801v protruding from the ball-finishing cassette 800A. This handle accommodating section is formed larger than the outer shape of the handle 801v. As a result, even if the ball-finishing cassette 800A is not installed properly (if there is some misalignment), the handle 801v will be accommodated in the handle accommodating section, so the handle 801v will not interfere with the door frame 3, allowing the door frame 3 to be closed properly, and preventing malfunctions (failures) due to damage to components, etc.

[4-5-4. Summary of Modifications]
The above-mentioned Kuma cassette has various technical features as follows:

[4-5-4a. Summary A]
(Background of technical features)
Among gaming machines that use gaming balls, such as pachinko machines, there are known ones that have a ball circulation mechanism that circulates the gaming balls within the machine and uses them for play without discharging them to the outside of the machine. One gaming machine of this type has been proposed that includes a ball polishing member made of cloth for polishing the circulating gaming balls (for example, Patent Document: JP 2023-24737 A).

However, with the technology in Patent Document 1, the ball bearing member must be removed from the gaming machine in order to check its degree of dirt, which creates the problem of time-consuming maintenance.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can improve the maintenance required for polishing gaming balls in the ball circulation mechanism.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine having a ball circulation mechanism that circulates game balls without discharging them outside the gaming machine and allows them to be used for games,
A ball grinding unit having a ball grinding member that grinds the game balls in the ball circulation mechanism;
and a mounting portion to which the ball grinding unit can be detached,
With the ball grinding unit attached to the attachment part, both the ball dirt adhesion part where ball dirt generated by game balls coming into contact with the ball grinding member adheres and the ball dirt non-adhesion part where game balls do not come into contact and ball dirt cannot adhere are made visible from outside the ball circulation mechanism.
It is characterized by:

Here, a "ball circulation mechanism" is a mechanism that can collect game balls that have flowed down below the play area where game balls are played and supply them to a ball launcher that launches the game balls into the play area, and is a mechanism that circulates game balls within the game machine. These game balls are not discharged outside the game machine.

Examples of "ball-shaped components" include "endless belt-shaped components," "endless belt-shaped components," "flat or mat-shaped components," and "annular or cylindrical components." Examples of materials for "ball-shaped components" include "cloth such as woven or nonwoven fabric," "sponge-like synthetic resin foam material," "tanned leather," and "spongy."

Further examples of "ball bearing units" include "container-shaped (cassette-shaped) units in which a ball bearing member is attached so that it has a portion exposed to the outside," and "units in which an annular ball has an axial portion inserted into a cylindrical ball bearing member."

The relationship between the "ball soil adhesion portion" and the "ball soil non-adhesion portion" can be exemplified by "the ball soil adhesion portion and the ball soil non-adhesion portion are adjacent and located on the same surface," "the ball soil adhesion portion and the ball soil non-adhesion portion are adjacent and located on different surfaces," "the ball soil adhesion portion and the ball soil non-adhesion portion are not adjacent but located on different surfaces," and "the ball soil adhesion portion and the ball soil non-adhesion portion appear to be adjacent when viewed from the outside." The "ball soil non-adhesion portion" may be located on the ball polishing member, or on another component other than the ball polishing member that makes up the ball polishing unit, or on the mounting portion to which the ball polishing unit is mounted.

Furthermore, the configuration in which both the ball soiling area and the ball soiling non-adhering area are "visible from the outside" may be such that they are visible through a transparent member, or through an opening such as a hole or notch that penetrates the member.

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine with a ball circulation mechanism that circulates gaming balls without discharging them outside the gaming machine, allowing them to be used in games. The machine includes a ball polishing unit with a ball polishing member that polishes the gaming balls in the ball circulation mechanism, and a mounting section to which the ball polishing unit can be detached. When the ball polishing unit is mounted on the mounting section, both the ball soiling portion, where ball soiling occurs when the gaming ball comes into contact with the ball polishing member and adheres, and the ball soiling non-adherence portion, where ball soiling does not occur and where ball soiling cannot adhere, are visible from outside the ball circulation mechanism. (In the "Embodiment of the Invention," see chapter "4-5-1. Modified Examples of Ball Polishing Cassette," the ball lifting mechanism 660, ball polishing cassette 800, ball polishing cloth 804, ball soiling adhesion portion 804a, ball soiling non-adherence portion 804b, Figures 54-1 to 54-13 and 54-15, etc.)

With this configuration, when the ball grinding unit is attached to the mounting portion of the ball circulation mechanism in the gaming machine, both the ball soiling portion and the ball non-soiling portion of the ball grinding member provided on the ball grinding unit can be seen from the outside. This allows the degree of dirt on the ball grinding member to be confirmed by comparing the color of the ball soiling portion, which has come into contact with the game ball and has ball soiling attached, with the color of the ball non-soiling portion, which has not come into contact with the game ball and cannot have ball soiling attached.

More specifically, if the color of the non-ball soiling area is the same as the ball soiling area before the ball soiling adheres, the color will become darker when ball soiling adheres to the ball soiling area. In other words, the color of the ball soiling area to which ball soiling has adhered will be darker than the color of the non-ball soiling area. With this configuration, both the ball soiling area and the non-ball soiling area can be seen simultaneously, making the difference in color clearly visible and allowing the degree of soiling of the ball-bearing member to be reliably confirmed.

Alternatively, if the color of the non-soiling portion is made the same as the color of the soiled portion that has become soiled and is due for replacement, when soil is deposited on the soiled portion, the color will darken, and when the polishing member needs to be replaced, the color will deepen and become even darker. This configuration allows both the soiled portion and the non-soiling portion to be visually confirmed at the same time, making it possible to check the degree of soiling of the polishing member, and if the soiled portion and the non-soiling portion appear to be the same color, it can be determined that the polishing member needs to be replaced.

Furthermore, with this configuration, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member can be checked from the outside while the ball polishing member is still attached to the mounting part, so there is no need to remove the ball polishing unit from the mounting part for checking, which simplifies the maintenance work. In other words, it is possible to improve the maintainability of ball polishing using the ball polishing member.

The color of the ball-soiling component before ball dirt adheres to it can be a specified light color, and the non-ball-soiling component can have a light-colored portion that is the same as or similar to the color of the ball-soiling component before ball dirt adheres to it. This means that when ball dirt adheres to the ball-soiling component, the color of the ball-soiling component becomes darker than the light-colored portion of the non-ball-soiling component, so the degree of dirt on the ball-soiling component can be confirmed by comparing the color of the ball-soiling component with the color of the light-colored portion.

In addition, the color of the ball polishing component after ball dirt has adhered to it can be a specified dark color, and the non-ball dirt-adherent portion can have a dark portion that is the same as or similar to the color of the ball polishing component after ball dirt has adhered to it.In this way, the non-ball dirt-adherent portion has a dark portion that is the same as or similar to the color of the ball dirt-adherent portion, which has become dark due to ball dirt.As a result, when ball dirt adheres to the ball dirt-adherent portion, its color will approach the color of the dark portion of the non-ball dirt-adherent portion, making it possible to check the degree of dirt on the ball polishing component, and if the color of the ball dirt-adherent portion and the dark portion appear to be the same color, it can be determined that it is time to replace the ball polishing component.

Furthermore, the ball polishing member may be made of a strip of cloth that is retractable at the portion that comes into contact with the game ball. As a result, since the ball polishing member is made of a strip of cloth that can be retracted, the portion that comes into contact with the game ball can be moved. Compared to a case in which the ball polishing member does not move, this allows the game ball to come into contact with various portions of the ball polishing member, resulting in ball dirt being deposited. This extends the replacement interval for the ball polishing member and improves the ease of maintenance required for ball polishing.

Furthermore, when the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped cloth as described above, it has a higher tensile strength than when the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped sponge. Therefore, by feeding the ball-bearing member out while it is in contact with the game ball, even if tension is applied to the ball-bearing member, problems such as the ball-bearing member breaking will not occur. This does not reduce maintainability, and ball dirt from the game balls can be effectively wiped away.

Furthermore, if the ball polishing member is made of a strip of cloth, it may be designed to be retractable from the ball polishing unit. This allows the ball polishing member, made of a strip of cloth, to be pulled out from the ball polishing unit, so that the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member can be checked by comparing the color of the surface (the part where ball dirt has adhered) and the color of the back surface (the part where ball dirt has not adhered) of the pulled-out part of the ball polishing member.

Furthermore, if the ball bearing member is removable from the ball bearing unit as described above and the strip-shaped ball bearing member is made into an endless belt, when one side of the ball bearing member is pulled out of the ball bearing unit, the opposite side of the pulled-out ball bearing member is retracted into the ball bearing unit, allowing the entire circumference of the ball bearing member to be checked. This makes it possible to check whether ball dirt is evenly adhered around the entire circumference of the ball bearing member, which can be used as one way to determine when the ball bearing member should be replaced, and also allows for checking whether the ball bearing member has any defects such as scratches or tears.

Furthermore, when the grinding member is a strip of cloth as described above, the grinding member may be configured so that it can be manually fed out from outside the grinding unit. This allows the grinding member to be manually fed out from the outside, so if the grinding member is loose when attaching the grinding unit to the attachment part, the slack can be manually removed from the grinding member. Also, in this case, if the grinding member is pulled out from the grinding unit during manufacturing (assembly) or maintenance of the grinding unit, the pulled-out portion can be manually stored inside the grinding unit.

The ball polishing unit may also have an opening that penetrates the side, allowing both sides of the ball polishing member to be visible from the outside through the opening. This provides an opening on the side of the ball polishing unit that allows both sides of the ball polishing member (the dirty ball area and the non-dirty ball area) to be visible, allowing both sides of the ball polishing member to be directly visible through the opening. Therefore, for example, if the ball polishing member (the dirty ball area and the non-dirty ball area) is normally visible through a transparent portion, even if the ball polishing member becomes difficult to see through the transparent portion for some reason, both sides of the ball polishing member can be seen through the opening, allowing the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member to be reliably confirmed.

The ball polishing member may also have multiple raised naps. As a result, when the ball polishing member is used to polish the game ball, the nap flows in a certain direction. In this state, if a malfunction or damage occurs in the game ball, the ball circulation mechanism, or the ball polishing unit, and the contact between the ball polishing member and the game ball changes, the constant flow of the nap may change in some places, or the nap may stand up. Therefore, when performing maintenance, it is possible to know if a malfunction has occurred by checking the state of the nap on the ball polishing member.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The color of the ball-grinding member before the ball dirt adheres is a predetermined light color,
The non-soiling portion has a light color that is the same as or similar to the color of the ball-bearing member before the ball soil adheres to it.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "light-colored portion" may be provided on the ball member, or on other components of the ball unit excluding the ball member, or on the mounting portion where the ball unit is mounted. Furthermore, the "light-colored portion" may be the original color of the ball member, the color of other components of the ball unit excluding the ball member, the color of the mounting portion where the ball unit is mounted, or it may be a sticker, painted, or printed.

Method 2 is configured so that the color of the polishing member before ball soiling adheres is a predetermined light color, and the non-soiled portion has a light-colored portion that is the same as or similar to the color of the polishing member before ball soiling adheres (see the description of the polishing cloth 804, light-colored portion 809a, Figures 54-6, 54-9, 54-10, and 54-12 in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, the original color of the ball-container is a light color, and the non-ball-contamination area has a light-colored area that is the same color as or similar to the original color of the ball-container. Therefore, when ball dirt adheres to the ball-contamination area, the color of the ball-contamination area becomes darker than the color of the light-colored area of the non-ball-contamination area. Therefore, by comparing the color of the ball-contamination area with the color of the light-colored area, the degree of dirt on the ball-container can be confirmed.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The color of the ball-bearing member after the ball dirt adheres is a predetermined dark color,
The non-soiling portion has a dark color that is the same as or similar to the color of the ball-bearing member after ball soiling has adhered to it.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "dark colored portion" may be provided on the ball bearing member, or on other components excluding the ball bearing member that make up the ball bearing unit, or on the mounting portion where the ball bearing unit is attached. Furthermore, the "dark colored portion" may be the original color of the ball bearing member, the color of other components excluding the ball bearing member that make up the ball bearing unit, the color of the mounting portion where the ball bearing unit is attached, or it may be a sticker, painted, or printed.

Method 3 is configured so that the color of the polishing member after ball soiling is a predetermined dark color, and the non-soiled portion has a dark color that is the same as or similar to the color of the polishing member after ball soiling has adhered (see the description of the polishing cloth 804, dark portion 809b, Figures 54-4, 54-9, 54-11, and 54-13 in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, the non-soiling area has a dark area that is the same color as or similar to the color of the soiled area that has become dark due to soiling. Therefore, when soiling of the ball adheres to the soiled area, its color approaches the color of the dark area of the non-soiling area. This allows you to check the soiling level of the ball component, and if the soiled area and the dark area appear to be the same color, you can determine that it is time to replace the ball component.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 3,
"The spherical member is
It is a strip of cloth that is provided so that the part that comes into contact with the game ball can be released.
It is characterized by:

Here, "deliverable" means "when the belt-shaped ball-bearing member is an endless belt, the ball-bearing member rotates" or "when the belt-shaped ball-bearing member is an endless belt, the ball-bearing member moves from one side to the other or from the other side to one side," etc.

Furthermore, the "cloth" may be woven or nonwoven.

However, if the ball bearing member is immovable, the game balls will continue to contact the same position on the ball bearing member, causing the ball bearing member to become dirty early and shortening the replacement interval, resulting in a problem of reduced maintainability.

In the configuration of means 4, the ball polishing member is a strip of cloth with a portion that comes into contact with the game ball and is capable of being released (see the description of ball polishing cloth 804, dark portion 809b, and Figures 54-1 to 54-15 in the [Embodiment]).

With this configuration, the ball polishing member is made of a strip of cloth that can be fed out, allowing the part that comes into contact with the game ball to move. This allows the game ball to come into contact with various parts of the ball polishing member, resulting in ball dirt adhering, compared to when the ball polishing member does not move, which extends the replacement interval for the ball polishing member and improves the ease of maintenance required for ball polishing.

In addition, because the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped cloth, it has a higher tensile strength than when the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped sponge. As a result, by feeding the ball-bearing member while it is in contact with the ball, problems such as the ball-bearing member breaking even when tension is applied to the ball-bearing member do not occur, maintaining ease of maintenance and allowing for effective wiping of ball dirt from the ball.

Means 5: In the configuration of Means 4,
"The spherical member is
It is provided so that it can be withdrawn from the ball grinding unit.
It is characterized by:

In the configuration of Means 5, a strip-shaped polishing member is provided so that it can be pulled out from the polishing unit (see the description of the polishing cloth 804, Figure 54-7, and chapter 4-5-1f. Checking the dirt on the polishing cloth 2 in the "Description of the Invention" section).

With this configuration, the ball polishing member, which is made of a strip of cloth, can be pulled out from the ball polishing unit, so the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member can be checked by comparing the color of the surface (the part where ball dirt has adhered) and the color of the back surface (the part where ball dirt has not adhered) of the pulled-out part of the ball polishing member.

Furthermore, if the belt-shaped ball bearing member is an endless belt, when one side of the ball bearing member is pulled out of the ball bearing unit, the other side of the pulled-out ball bearing member will be retracted into the ball bearing unit, allowing the entire circumference of the ball bearing member to be checked. This makes it possible to check whether ball dirt is evenly adhered around the entire circumference of the ball bearing member, which can be used as one way to determine when the ball bearing member should be replaced, and also allows for checking whether the ball bearing member has any defects such as scratches or tears.

Means 6: In the configuration of means 4 or means 5,
"The spherical member is
It is provided so that it can be manually delivered from outside the ball mill unit.
It is characterized by:

Here, examples of configurations that can be manually fed include "a tool hole at the end of the shaft of the gear that feeds the ball member into which the tip of a screwdriver can be inserted," "a gear shaft that feeds the ball member protrudes outward so that it can be turned with fingers," and "a handle that can be used to turn the gear that feeds the ball member."

In the configuration of means 6, a strip-shaped ball-grinding member is provided so that it can be manually fed from outside the ball-grinding unit (see the description of the ball-grinding feed gear 806, ball-grinding driven gear 807, and Figure 54-5 in the [Embodiment]).

With this configuration, the ball bearing member can be manually pushed out from the outside, so if the ball bearing member is loose when attaching the ball bearing unit to the attachment part, the slack can be removed manually. Furthermore, if the ball bearing member is pulled out of the ball bearing unit during manufacturing (assembly) or maintenance of the ball bearing unit, the pulled-out portion can be manually stored inside the ball bearing unit.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations of means 4 to 6,
"The Kuma unit is
having an opening extending through the side surface;
Both surfaces of the ball bearing member are visible from the outside through the opening.
It is characterized by:

However, when the ball components of the ball unit are made visible from the outside through a transparent part, if the transparent part has scratches or dirt, or if the transparent part reflects light, the ball components may not be visible well, making it difficult to check the degree of dirt on the ball components.

In the configuration of Means 7, the ball grinding unit has an opening that penetrates the side, and both sides of the ball grinding member can be seen from the outside through the opening (see the description of the opening 801s of the cassette body 801, the opening 802i of the cassette lid 802, and Figure 54-5 in the [Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, an opening is provided on the side of the ball polishing unit that allows both sides of the ball polishing member (the dirty ball adhesion portion and the non-dirty ball adhesion portion) to be viewed, allowing both sides of the ball polishing member to be directly viewed through the opening. Therefore, for example, if the ball polishing member (the dirty ball adhesion portion and the non-dirty ball adhesion portion) is normally visible through a transparent portion, even if the ball polishing member becomes difficult to see through the transparent portion for some reason, both sides of the ball polishing member can be viewed through the opening, allowing the degree of dirt on the ball polishing member to be reliably confirmed.

Means 8: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to means 7,
"The spherical member is
It has multiple naps.”
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 8, the polishing member has multiple raised naps (see the description of the polishing cloth 804 in the "Description of the Invention").

With this configuration, the ball polishing member has raised nap, so when the ball is polished with the ball polishing member, the nap flows in a certain direction. In this state, if a malfunction or damage occurs in the game ball, ball circulation mechanism, or ball polishing unit, and the contact between the ball polishing member and the game ball changes, the constant flow of the nap will change in parts, or the nap will stand up. This makes it possible to know if a malfunction has occurred by checking the state of the nap on the ball polishing member during maintenance, etc.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can improve the maintenance required for polishing gaming balls in the ball circulation mechanism.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The ball lifting unit 650 (ball lifting mechanism 660) in the main body frame 4 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball circulation mechanism of the above-mentioned solution means, the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 in the ball lifting mechanism 660 in this embodiment and the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501 correspond to the mounting portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball polishing cassette 800 (ball polishing cassette 800A) in this embodiment corresponds to the ball polishing unit of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball polishing cloth 804 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball polishing member of the above-mentioned solution means, and the ball dirt adhesion portion 804a of the ball polishing cloth 804 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball dirt adhesion portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

In addition, in this embodiment, the non-ball soiling portion 804b of the ball polishing cloth 804, the back surface of the ball polishing cloth 804, the components constituting the ball polishing cassette 800, the lifting mechanism base 668, the main body frame base 501, and the dirt comparison object 809 correspond to the non-ball soiling portion of the above-mentioned solution, the opening 801s of the cassette body 801 and the opening 802i of the cassette lid 802 in this embodiment correspond to the openings of the above-mentioned solution, the light-colored portion 809a in this embodiment corresponds to the light-colored portion of the above-mentioned solution, and the dark-colored portion 809b in this embodiment corresponds to the dark-colored portion of the above-mentioned solution.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to this embodiment, when the ball polishing cassette 800 is attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 of the ball lifting mechanism 660 of the main body frame 4 of the pachinko machine 1, both the ball soiling portion 804a and the ball soiling non-adherent portion 804b of the ball polishing cloth 804 provided on the ball polishing cassette 800 can be seen from the outside. This makes it possible to check the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 by comparing the color of the ball soiling portion 804a, which has come into contact with the game ball B and is therefore soiled, with the color of the ball soiling non-adherent portion 804b, which has not come into contact with the game ball B and is therefore not susceptible to ball soiling.

More specifically, if the color of the non-ball soiling portion 804b is the same as the color of the ball soiling portion 804a before the ball soiling adheres, the color of the ball soiling portion 804a will become darker when ball soiling adheres to it. In other words, the color of the ball soiling portion 804a to which ball soiling has adhered will be darker than the color of the non-ball soiling portion 804b. In this embodiment, both the ball soiling portion 804a and the non-ball soiling portion 804b can be visually confirmed at the same time, making the difference in color clearly visible and allowing the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804 to be reliably confirmed.

Alternatively, if the color of the non-ball soiling portion 804b is made the same color as the ball soiling portion 804a, which has become soiled and needs to be replaced, when ball soiling adheres to the ball soiling portion 804a, the color will darken, and when it is time to replace the ball polishing cloth 804, the color will deepen and become even darker. In this embodiment, both the ball soiling portion 804a and the dark-colored non-ball soiling portion 804b can be visually confirmed at the same time, making it possible to check the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804. Furthermore, if the color of the ball soiling portion 804a and the dark-colored non-ball soiling portion 804b appear to be the same color, it can be determined that the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing cassette 800) needs to be replaced.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be checked from the outside while the ball polishing cassette 800 is still attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b. This eliminates the need to remove the ball polishing cassette 800 from the cassette mounting recess 668b for checking, simplifying the maintenance effort. In other words, the ease of maintenance associated with ball polishing using the ball polishing cloth 804 can be improved.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the original color of the ball polishing cloth 804 is a light color, and the non-ball soiling portion 804b is provided with a light-colored portion 809a of a color that is the same as or similar to the original color of the ball polishing cloth 804. Therefore, when ball soil adheres to the ball soiling portion 804a, the color of the ball soiling portion 804a becomes darker than the color of the light-colored portion 809a of the non-ball soiling portion 804b. Therefore, by comparing the color of the ball soiling portion 804a with the color of the light-colored portion 809a, the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804 can be confirmed.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the non-ball soiling portion 804b is provided with a dark portion 809b that is the same or similar in color to the ball soiling portion 804a, which has become dark due to the adhesion of ball soil. Therefore, when ball soiling adheres to the ball soiling portion 804a, the color of the ball soiling will approach the color of the dark portion 809b of the non-ball soiling portion 804b. This makes it possible to check the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804, and if the color of the ball soiling portion 804a and the color of the dark portion 809b appear to be similar, it can be determined that it is time to replace the ball polishing cloth 804.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 is a strip-shaped cloth that can be fed out, so the part that comes into contact with the game ball B can be moved. This means that, compared to when the ball polishing member does not move, the game ball B can come into contact with various parts of the ball polishing cloth 804, causing ball dirt to adhere to it. This allows the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing member) to be replaced more frequently, improving the ease of maintenance required for ball polishing.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 is a strip of cloth, which has a higher tensile strength than when the ball polishing member is a strip of sponge. Therefore, by sending out (circulating) the ball polishing cloth 804 while it is in contact with the game ball B, even if tension is applied to the ball polishing cloth 804, there will be no problems such as the ball polishing cloth 804 breaking. This does not reduce maintainability, and ball dirt on the game ball B can be effectively wiped away.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804, which is made of a strip of cloth, can be pulled out from the ball polishing cassette 800 to the outside, so the degree of dirt on the ball polishing cloth 804 can be checked by comparing the color of the surface (ball soiling portion 804a) and the back surface (non-ball soiling portion 804b) of the pulled-out portion of the ball polishing cloth 804.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the belt-shaped ball polishing cloth 804 is made into an endless belt, so when one side of the ball polishing cloth 804 is pulled out from the ball polishing cassette 800, the other side of the pulled-out ball polishing cloth 804 is stored inside the ball polishing cassette 800, making it possible to check the entire circumference of the ball polishing cloth 804. This makes it possible to check whether ball dirt is evenly adhered around the entire circumference of the ball polishing cloth 804, which can be used as one of the factors to determine when to replace the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing cassette 800), and also allows the presence or absence of defects such as scratches or tears in the ball polishing cloth 804 to be checked.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 can be manually fed from the outside, so if the ball polishing cloth 804 is loose when the ball polishing cassette 800 is attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b, the looseness can be manually removed. Furthermore, if the ball polishing cloth 804 is pulled out from the ball polishing cassette 800 during manufacturing (assembly) or maintenance of the ball polishing cassette 800, the pulled-out portion can be manually stored inside the ball polishing cassette 800.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, openings 801s and 802i are provided on the sides of the ball polishing cassette 800 (the sidewall 801a of the cassette body 801 and the sidewall 802a of the cassette lid 802) that allow for visual observation of both sides of the ball polishing cloth 804 (the soiled ball portion 804a and the non-soiled ball portion 804b). Therefore, both sides of the ball polishing cloth 804 can be directly viewed through the openings 801s and 802i. Therefore, for example, while the ball polishing cloth 804 (the soiled ball portion 804a and the non-soiled ball portion 804b) is normally visible through a transparent portion (here, the cassette body 801 and the cassette lid 802), even if the ball polishing cloth 804 becomes difficult to see through the transparent portion for some reason, both sides of the ball polishing cloth 804 can be viewed through the openings 801s and 802i, allowing for reliable confirmation of the degree of soiling of the ball polishing cloth 804.

In addition, according to this embodiment, since the ball polishing cloth 804 has nap, when the game ball B is polished with the ball polishing cloth 804, the nap flows in a certain direction. In this state, if a malfunction or damage occurs in the game ball B, the ball lifting mechanism 660, or the ball polishing cassette 800, and the contact between the ball polishing cloth 804 and the game ball B changes, the constant flow of the nap will change in some places, or the nap will stand up. Therefore, when performing maintenance, it is possible to know that a malfunction has occurred by checking the nap state of the ball polishing cloth 804.

[4-5-4b. Summary B]
(Background of technical features)
Among gaming machines that use gaming balls, such as pachinko machines, there are known ones that have a ball circulation mechanism that circulates the gaming balls within the machine and uses them for play without discharging them to the outside of the machine. One gaming machine of this type has been proposed that includes a ball polishing unit with a ball polishing member made of cloth for polishing the circulating gaming balls (for example, Patent Document: JP 2023-24737 A).

Incidentally, a ball-forming unit is equipped with multiple unit components in addition to the ball-forming member, and some of these unit components are resistant to dirt and scratches even with use and are suitable for reuse (reusable parts). However, with conventional ball-forming units such as those described in Patent Document 1, when disassembling and sorting, each unit component must be checked for dirt, scratches, etc. one by one, which creates the problem of time-consuming sorting work for reuse.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that makes it easy to separate the components that make up the ball polishing unit used to polish gaming balls.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine having a ball circulation mechanism that circulates game balls without discharging them outside the gaming machine and allows them to be used for games,
A ball grinding unit having a ball grinding member that grinds the game balls in the ball circulation mechanism;
and a mounting portion to which the ball grinding unit can be attached and detached,
The ball grinding unit is composed of a plurality of unit components excluding the ball grinding member,
At least one of the plurality of unit components has a first identification mark formed in a location that is unlikely to come into contact with the ball-bearing member.
It is characterized by:

Here, a "ball circulation mechanism" is a mechanism that can collect game balls that have flowed down below the play area where game balls are played and supply them to a ball launcher that launches the game balls into the play area, and is a mechanism that circulates game balls within the game machine. These game balls are not discharged outside the game machine.

Examples of "ball-shaped components" include "endless belt-shaped components," "endless belt-shaped components," "flat or mat-shaped components," and "annular or cylindrical components." Examples of materials for "ball-shaped components" include "cloth such as woven or nonwoven fabric," "sponge-like synthetic resin foam material," "tanned leather," and "spongy."

Further examples of "ball bearing units" include "container-shaped (cassette-shaped) units in which a ball bearing member is attached so that it has a portion exposed to the outside," and "units in which an annular ball has an axial portion inserted into a cylindrical ball bearing member."

The "first identification mark" may also be defined as "an extrusion mark (demolding mark) left on a product by a mechanism (e.g., an ejector pin, a push-up core, a direct lift core, an ejection core, etc.) for removing a product from a molding die (metal mold) after molding the product," "a mark from an injection port (gate) for injecting molten resin into a mold," "a parting line formed by the cut surface of an injection molding die," "an engraving for a first identification mark," etc. Furthermore, the shape of the first identification mark may be a circle, a polygon such as a triangle, square, pentagon, or hexagon, or an irregular shape such as a semicircle, star, heart, or clover. Furthermore, the shape of the first identification mark may be protruding from the surrounding surface, recessed from the surrounding surface, or inclined relative to the surrounding surface.

According to the configuration of Means 1, a gaming machine has a ball circulation mechanism that circulates gaming balls without discharging them outside the gaming machine, allowing them to be used for gaming. The gaming machine includes a ball polishing unit having a ball polishing member that polishes the gaming balls in the ball circulation mechanism, and a mounting section to which the ball polishing unit can be attached and detached. The ball polishing unit is composed of multiple unit components excluding the ball polishing member, and at least one of the multiple unit components has a first identification mark in a location that is unlikely to come into contact with the ball polishing member (see Chapter 4-5-2. Identification Marks of Ball Polishing Cassette in the [Embodiment of the Invention], the ball lifting mechanism 660, ball polishing cassettes 800, 800A, cassette body 801, cassette lid 802, ball polishing cloth 804, identification mark 810, first identification mark 811, Figures 54-14 and 54-15, etc.).

In this configuration, in a gaming machine with a ball circulation mechanism that circulates gaming balls without discharging them to the outside, the unit components that make up the ball grinding unit, which has a grinding member for grinding gaming balls, have a first identification mark in a location that is unlikely to come into contact with the grinding member. This makes it difficult for dirt from the grinding member or scratches caused by contact with the grinding member to adhere to the first identification mark. In other words, since unit components with a first identification mark are less likely to become dirty or scratched, these unit components can be reused. As a result, when disassembling the ball grinding unit and sorting the multiple unit components to determine whether they can be reused, the presence or absence of the first identification mark can be used to determine which unit components can be reused, without having to carefully examine each disassembled unit component for dirt, scratches, etc., making the sorting process for reuse easier.

The ball grinding unit may have a handle for holding the ball grinding unit, through which the ball grinding members can be seen from the outside, and a first identification mark may be provided on the handle. This allows the ball grinding members to be seen from the outside through the handle provided on the ball grinding unit, making it possible to check the degree of dirt on the ball grinding members without removing the ball grinding unit from its mounting part. Therefore, there is no need to repeatedly remove the ball grinding unit to check the degree of dirt on the ball grinding members, and dirt and scratches do not accumulate on the outside of the ball grinding unit, making it possible to reuse the unit components that make up the ball grinding unit. Furthermore, since the first identification mark is provided on the handle, and the ball grinding members are unlikely to come into contact with this first identification mark, making it difficult for dirt and scratches from the ball grinding members to accumulate, at least the unit component with the handle can be reused among the multiple unit components that make up the ball grinding unit. For this reason, when disassembling the Kuma unit and separating the multiple unit components to determine whether they can be reused or not, the presence or absence of the first identification mark (handle portion) makes it possible to determine which unit components can be reused, making the separation process for reuse easier.

Furthermore, as described above, if a handle is provided on the ball unit to hold it securely, other parts of the ball unit besides the handle are less likely to be touched when holding the ball unit during assembly or maintenance of the gaming machine, making it less likely for dirt or scratches to adhere to these other parts. As a result, other unit components that do not have a handle are also less likely to become dirty or scratched, making it possible to reuse more unit components and making more effective use of resources.

Furthermore, a second identification mark different in form from the first identification mark may be provided on at least one of the remaining unit components, excluding the unit component having the first identification mark. For example, if a second identification mark is provided on a unit component that is less likely to become dirty or scratched, next to the unit component having the first identification mark, during the sorting process for reuse, after the unit component having the first identification mark has been sent for reuse (sorted), the next reusable unit component can be easily found by whether or not it has the second identification mark. This makes it possible to distinguish unit components that can be reused based on the presence or absence of the second identification mark when disassembling the kuma unit and sorting the multiple unit components to determine whether or not they should be reused, facilitating the sorting process for reuse.

Furthermore, the ball bearing unit may be designed so that the ball bearing member can be removed by removing the unit component having the first identification mark. This makes it possible to remove the ball bearing member by removing the unit component having the first identification mark from the ball bearing unit. Therefore, when replacing the ball bearing member, the ball bearing member can be removed simply by removing the unit component having the first identification mark without having to refer to instructions, making maintenance work such as replacing the ball bearing member easy to perform.

The ball bearing member may also be a strip of cloth with a releasable portion that comes into contact with the game ball. In this case, providing a releasable ball bearing member on the ball bearing unit makes it easier for the unit components to become dirty or scratched as the ball bearing member moves. However, as described above, the first identification mark is provided in a portion that is less likely to come into contact with the ball bearing member, so the ball bearing member is less likely to come into contact with the unit components on which the first identification mark is provided. As a result, the unit components are less likely to become dirty or scratched from the ball bearing member, remain clean even after use, and can be reused. This makes it easy to determine whether a unit component is reusable by checking for the presence or absence of the first identification mark, without having to check for dirt or scratches one by one, and makes the sorting process for reuse easier.

Furthermore, as described above, if the ball polishing member is made of a strip-shaped cloth that can be released at the part that comes into contact with the game ball, the part that comes into contact with the game ball will move, so compared to when the ball polishing member does not move, it will be possible for the game ball to come into contact with various parts of the ball polishing member, causing ball dirt to adhere, which will extend the replacement interval for the ball polishing member and improve the ease of maintenance required for ball polishing.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, when the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped cloth, the tensile strength is higher than when the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped sponge. Therefore, by feeding the ball-bearing member out while it is in contact with the game ball, even if tension is applied to the ball-bearing member, problems such as the ball-bearing member breaking will not occur. This does not reduce maintainability, and ball dirt from the game balls can be effectively wiped away.

Furthermore, the ball grinding unit may be provided with a third identification mark, which is different in form from the first identification mark, along the path through which the ball grinding member passes. In this way, since the third identification mark is provided in the ball grinding unit along the path through which the ball grinding member made of a strip of cloth passes, when assembling the ball grinding unit or replacing the ball grinding member, the ball grinding member can be set using the third identification mark as a guide, allowing the ball grinding member to be positioned along the desired path, making it possible to easily assemble the ball grinding unit without making any mistakes in the placement of the ball grinding member.

The ball polishing unit may also have a contact wall that comes into contact with the ball polishing member, but at least the first identification mark may not be provided on either the contact surface of the contact wall that comes into contact with the ball polishing member or the non-contact surface opposite the contact surface. In this way, the first identification mark is not provided on the contact surface of the contact wall that comes into contact with the ball polishing member or the non-contact surface that does not come into contact with the ball polishing member, and therefore there are no irregularities on the contact surface due to the first identification mark. Therefore, even if the ball polishing member comes into contact with the contact wall, dirt or scratches will not be attached, and the ball polishing member will not be scratched. Furthermore, because the contact surface of the contact wall does not have first identification marks, there are no irregularities on the contact surface due to the first identification marks, so the ball polishing member can make uniform contact with the game ball, reducing ball dirt that remains and allowing the game ball to be polished thoroughly.

Furthermore, as described above, if a contact wall is provided on the ball-forming unit but the first identification mark is not provided on either the contact surface or non-contact surface of the contact wall, the non-contact surface of the contact wall that does not come into contact with the ball-forming member is also not provided with the first identification mark. Therefore, when attempting to reuse a unit component having a contact wall, the first identification mark will not cause the mistaken impression that the contact wall is scratched, making it possible to accurately determine whether the unit component is reusable, and facilitating the sorting process required for reuse.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The ball unit has a handle for holding itself,
The ball bearing member is provided so as to be visible from the outside through the handle portion, and the first identification mark is provided on the handle portion.
It is characterized by:

In conventional ball grinding units, the ball components are not visible from the outside, so to check for dirt, the ball grinding unit must be removed from its mounting location. When the ball grinding unit is removed and the dirt on the ball components is checked, if there is only a small amount of ball dirt on the ball components and the unit is still usable without replacement, the ball grinding unit can be reinstalled and used. However, if the ball grinding unit is removed and installed multiple times to check the degree of dirt on the ball components, the worker will have to touch the ball grinding unit each time, which can cause the outside of the ball grinding unit to become dirty or scratched, potentially making it impossible to reuse the components that make up the ball grinding unit.

According to the configuration of means 2, the ball polishing unit has a handle portion for holding the unit itself, the ball polishing member is arranged so that it can be seen from the outside through the handle portion, and a first identification mark is provided on the handle portion (see the description of the ball polishing unit 800A, handle 801v, Figure 54-15, etc. in Chapter [4-5-3. Variant 2 of ball polishing cassette] in [Embodiment of the invention]).

With this configuration, the polishing components can be viewed from the outside through the handle portion provided on the polishing unit, allowing the degree of dirt on the polishing components to be checked without removing the polishing unit from the mounting portion. Therefore, there is no need to repeatedly remove the polishing unit to check the degree of dirt on the polishing components, preventing dirt and scratches from accumulating on the outside of the polishing unit, making it possible to reuse the unit components that make up the polishing unit. Furthermore, a first identification mark is provided on the handle portion, which is difficult for the polishing components to come into contact with and therefore difficult for dirt and scratches from the polishing components to accumulate. Therefore, of the multiple unit components that make up the polishing unit, at least the unit components with the handle portion can be reused. As a result, when disassembling the polishing unit and sorting the multiple unit components to determine whether they should be reused, the presence or absence of the first identification mark (handle portion) can be used to determine which unit components should be reused, making the sorting process for reuse easier.

In addition, because the ball unit is provided with a handle for holding it securely, when holding the ball unit during assembly or maintenance of the gaming machine, other parts of the ball unit are less likely to be touched than the handle, making it less likely for dirt or scratches to adhere to these other parts. As a result, other unit components that do not have a handle are also less likely to become dirty or scratched, making it possible to reuse more unit components and making more effective use of resources.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"Among the plurality of unit constituent members, at least one of the remaining unit constituent members, excluding the unit constituent member on which the first identification mark is formed, is provided with a second identification mark having a different form from the first identification mark."
It is characterized by:

Here, the term "second identification mark" may refer to "an extrusion mark (demolding mark) left on a product by a mechanism (e.g., an ejector pin, a push-up core, a direct-lift core, an ejection core, etc.) for removing the product from the molding die after molding the product using the molding die," "a mark from the injection port (gate) used to inject molten resin into the die," "a parting line formed by the cut surface of the injection molding die," "an engraving for the second identification mark," etc. Furthermore, the shape of the second identification mark may be circular, or may be polygonal such as a triangle, square, pentagon, or hexagon, or irregular such as a semicircle, star, heart, or clover. Furthermore, the shape of the second identification mark may be protruding from the surrounding surface, recessed from the surrounding surface, or inclined relative to the surrounding surface.

The shape of this second identification mark may be different from the shape of the first identification mark. For example, even if the shape of the second identification mark is the same as that of the first identification mark, the first identification mark may be made to protrude from the surrounding surface and the second identification mark may be made to be recessed from the surrounding surface, or the first identification mark may be made to be recessed from the surrounding surface and the second identification mark may be made to protrude from the surrounding surface. In this way, it is possible to make the appearance different.

According to the configuration of means 3, at least one of the remaining unit components, excluding the unit component having the first identification mark, has a second identification mark that is different in appearance from the first identification mark (see the description of the second identification mark 812, Figure 54-14, and the like in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments" in Chapter 4-5-2b. Second Identification Mark).

With this configuration, if, among the multiple unit components that make up the ball grinding unit, excluding the unit components that have the first identification mark, the remaining unit components, for example, the unit components that are less likely to get dirty or scratched after the unit components that have the first identification mark, are marked with a second identification mark, then, during the sorting process for reuse, after the unit components with the first identification mark have been sent for reuse (sorted), when searching for the next unit component that can be reused, the next component that can be reused can be easily found based on whether or not the second identification mark is present. As a result, when the ball grinding unit is disassembled and the multiple unit components are sorted to determine whether or not they can be reused, the presence or absence of the second identification mark can determine which unit components can be reused, making the sorting process for reuse easier.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 3,
"The Kuma unit is
When the unit component having the first identification mark is removed, the ball bearing member can be removed.
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 4, the ball-forming unit allows the ball-forming member to be removed by removing the unit component having the first identification mark (see the description of the cassette lid 802 in the "Embodiment").

With this configuration, the ball bearing member can be removed by removing the unit component with the first identification mark from the ball bearing unit. Therefore, when replacing the ball bearing member, the ball bearing member can be removed simply by removing the unit component with the first identification mark without having to refer to instructions, making maintenance work such as replacing the ball bearing member easy.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 4,
"The spherical member is
It is a strip of cloth that is provided so that the part that comes into contact with the game ball can be released.
It is characterized by:

Here, "deliverable" means "when the belt-shaped ball-bearing member is an endless belt, the ball-bearing member rotates" or "when the belt-shaped ball-bearing member is an endless belt, the ball-bearing member moves from one side to the other or from the other side to one side," etc.

Furthermore, the "cloth" may be woven or nonwoven.

However, when the ball components attached to the ball unit are made ejectable, the ball components move, which makes it easier for the multiple unit components that make up the ball unit to become dirty or scratched. Therefore, when sorting the unit components to determine whether they can be reused or not, it is necessary to check each of the multiple unit components one by one, which increases the effort required for sorting for reuse.

In the configuration of means 5, the ball polishing member is a strip-shaped cloth with a portion that comes into contact with the game ball and is capable of being released (see the description of ball polishing cloth 804, Figures 54-14 and 54-15, etc. in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, the ball unit is provided with a ball-bearing member that can be delivered. Even if the movement of the ball-bearing member makes it easier for dirt and scratches to adhere to the unit components, as described above, the first identification mark is provided in a location that is unlikely to come into contact with the ball-bearing member, so the ball-bearing member is unlikely to come into contact with the unit components on which the first identification mark is provided. Therefore, the unit components are less likely to be stained or scratched by the ball-bearing member, remain clean even after use, and can be reused. This makes it easy to determine whether a unit component is reusable by checking for the presence or absence of the first identification mark, without having to check for dirt or scratches one by one, and makes the sorting process for reuse easier.

In addition, the ball polishing member is made of a strip-shaped cloth that can be moved at the part that comes into contact with the game ball. Because the part that comes into contact with the game ball moves, it is possible for the game ball to come into contact with various parts of the ball polishing member, causing ball dirt to adhere, compared to when the ball polishing member does not move. This extends the replacement interval for the ball polishing member and improves the ease of maintenance required for ball polishing.

In addition, because the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped cloth, it has a higher tensile strength than when the ball-bearing member is made of strip-shaped sponge. As a result, by feeding the ball-bearing member while it is in contact with the ball, problems such as the ball-bearing member breaking even when tension is applied to the ball-bearing member do not occur, maintaining ease of maintenance and allowing for effective wiping of ball dirt from the ball.

Means 6: In the configuration of Means 5,
"The Kuma unit is
A third identification mark, which is different in appearance from the first identification mark, is provided along the path through which the ball member passes.
It is characterized by:

Here, the third identification mark may be defined as "an extrusion mark (demolding mark) left on a product by a mechanism (e.g., an ejector pin, a push-up core, a direct-lift core, an ejection core, etc.) used to remove a product from a molding die (metal mold) after molding the product," "a mark from an injection port (gate) used to inject molten resin into the mold," "a parting line formed by the cut surface of the injection molding die," or "an engraving for the third identification mark." Furthermore, the shape of the third identification mark may be circular, polygonal (e.g., triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, or hexagonal), semicircular, star-shaped, or irregular (e.g., heart-shaped or clover-shaped), etc. Furthermore, the shape of the third identification mark may be protruding from the surrounding surface, recessed from the surrounding surface, or inclined relative to the surrounding surface. This third identification mark may be different in shape from the first identification mark, and may be different in shape from both the first identification mark and the second identification mark.

According to the configuration of means 6, the ball polishing unit has a third identification mark, which is different in form from the first identification mark, provided along the path through which the ball polishing member passes (see the description of the cassette body 801, ball polishing cloth 804, third identification mark 813, Figure 54-14, etc. in the [Description of the Invention] section [4-5-2c. Third Identification Mark]).

With this configuration, the ball grinding unit has a third identification mark along the path through which the ball grinding member, made of a strip of cloth, passes. Therefore, when assembling the ball grinding unit or replacing the ball grinding member, the ball grinding member can be set using the third identification mark as a guide, allowing the ball grinding member to be positioned along the desired path, making it easy to assemble the ball grinding unit without making any mistakes in the placement of the ball grinding member.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 6,
"The Kuma unit is
a contact wall that contacts the ball member;
At least the first identification mark is not provided on either the contact surface of the contact wall that comes into contact with the ball-bearing member or the non-contact surface opposite to the contact surface.
It is characterized by:

Here, the contact wall may be one that does not have the first identification mark on at least both the contact surface and the non-contact surface, and may not have the second or third identification mark in addition to the first identification mark.

However, if a first identification mark is provided on the contact surface of a contact wall that comes into contact with a ball-bearing member, the presence of the first identification mark will create unevenness on the contact surface, and when the ball-bearing member comes into contact with these unevenness, there is a risk that dirt or scratches will adhere to the unevenness (first identification mark), or that the ball-bearing member may be scratched. Furthermore, in this case, the first identification mark provided on the contact surface of the contact wall will cause the surface of the ball-bearing member that is in contact with the contact surface to become uneven, which may result in uneven contact of the ball-bearing member with the game ball, and may prevent the game ball from being sufficiently polished.

On the other hand, if the first identification mark is provided on the non-contact surface of the contact wall opposite the contact surface, when attempting to reuse a unit component having a contact wall, the first identification mark on the contact wall may be mistaken for dirt or a scratch, which could result in the unit component being discarded despite being reusable.

According to the configuration of means 7, the ball polishing unit has a contact wall that contacts the ball polishing member, and at least the first identification mark is not provided on either the contact surface of the contact wall that contacts the ball polishing member or the non-contact surface opposite the contact surface (see the description of the rear wall 801c of the cassette body 801 and the ball polishing cloth 804 in the [Embodiment] section, [4-5-2g. Additional information on identification marks]).

With this configuration, the first identification marks are not provided on the contact surface of the contact wall that comes into contact with the ball-grinding member and the non-contact surface that does not. As a result, there are no irregularities on the contact surface due to the first identification marks, so even if the ball-grinding member comes into contact with the contact surface, it will not become dirty or scratched, and the ball-grinding member will not be scratched. Furthermore, since the first identification marks are not provided on the contact surface of the contact wall, there are no irregularities on the contact surface due to the first identification marks. This allows for uniform contact of the ball-grinding member with the game ball, reducing the amount of ball dirt left behind and allowing the game ball to be thoroughly polished.

Furthermore, since the first identification mark is not provided on the non-contact surface of the contact wall that does not come into contact with the ball-bearing member, when attempting to reuse a unit component having a contact wall, the first identification mark will not cause the mistaken impression that the contact wall is scratched, making it possible to accurately determine whether the unit component can be reused, and facilitating the sorting process for reuse.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can improve the maintenance required for polishing gaming balls in the ball circulation mechanism.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The ball lifting unit 650 (ball lifting mechanism 660) in the main body frame 4 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball circulation mechanism of the above-mentioned solution means, the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 in the ball lifting mechanism 660 in this embodiment and the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501 correspond to the mounting portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball polishing cassette 800 (ball polishing cassette 800A) in this embodiment corresponds to the ball polishing unit of the above-mentioned solution means, and the ball polishing cloth 804 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball polishing member of the above-mentioned solution means.

In this embodiment, the cassette body 801, cassette lid 802, roller 803, polishing cloth 804, tension spring 805, polishing feed gear 806, polishing driven gear 807, and cloth guide 808 correspond to the unit components of the resolving means, the rear wall 801c of the cassette body 801 in this embodiment corresponds to the contact wall of the resolving means, the rear surface of the rear wall 801c in this embodiment corresponds to the contact surface of the resolving means, the front surface of the rear wall 801c in this embodiment corresponds to the non-contact surface of the resolving means, the handle 801v of the cassette body 801 in the polishing cassette 800A in this embodiment corresponds to the handle portion of the resolving means, the first identification mark 811 in this embodiment corresponds to the first identification mark of the resolving means, the second identification mark 812 in this embodiment corresponds to the second identification mark of the resolving means, and the third identification mark 813 in this embodiment corresponds to the third identification mark of the resolving means.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has a ball lifting unit 650 that circulates game balls B without discharging them to the outside and can be used for play, and in this ball lifting unit 650, a cassette lid 802 as a unit component that constitutes a ball polishing cassette 800 having a ball polishing cloth 804 for polishing game balls B has a first identification mark 811 provided in a location that is unlikely to come into contact with the ball polishing cloth 804, so that the first identification mark 811 is unlikely to become soiled by the ball polishing cloth 804 or scratched by contact with the ball polishing cloth 804. In other words, the cassette lid 802 provided with the first identification mark 811 is unlikely to become soiled or scratched, and therefore the cassette lid 802 can be reused. As a result, when disassembling the Kuma cassette 800 and sorting the multiple unit components to determine whether they can be reused or not, it is possible to determine whether a unit component can be reused based on the presence or absence of the first identification mark 811, without having to carefully examine each disassembled unit component for dirt, scratches, etc., and the sorting work for reuse can be easily carried out.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the polishing cloth 804 can be visually inspected from the outside through the handle 801v provided on the polishing cassette 800A, allowing the degree of soiling of the polishing cloth 804 to be checked without removing the polishing cassette 800A from the cassette mounting recess 668b. Therefore, there is no need to repeatedly remove the polishing cassette 800A to check the degree of soiling of the polishing cloth 804. This prevents dirt and scratches from adhering to the outside of the polishing cassette 800A, making it possible to reuse the unit components that make up the polishing cassette 800A. Furthermore, the handle 801v is provided with a first identification mark 811, which is unlikely to come into contact with the polishing cloth 804 and therefore unlikely to be soiled or scratched by the polishing cloth 804. Therefore, of the multiple unit components that make up the polishing cassette 800A, at least the cassette body 801 (unit component) having the handle 801v can be reused. For this reason, when disassembling the Kuma cassette 800A and separating the multiple unit components to determine whether they should be reused or not, the presence or absence of the first identification mark 811 (handle 801v) makes it possible to determine whether the unit components should be reused, making the separation process for reuse easier.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the polishing cassette 800A is provided with a handle 801v for holding it, so when holding the polishing cassette 800A during assembly work, maintenance, etc., other parts of the polishing cassette 800A other than the handle 801v are less likely to be touched, making it less likely for dirt or scratches to adhere to these other parts. As a result, other unit components that do not have a handle 801v are also less likely to become dirty or scratched, making it possible to reuse more unit components and making more effective use of resources.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, of the multiple unit components constituting the Kuma cassette 800, a second identification mark 812, which is different in form from the first identification mark 811, is provided on the cassette body 801 of the remaining unit components, excluding the unit component (cassette lid 802) on which the first identification mark 811 is provided. In other words, the second identification mark 812 is provided on the cassette lid 802, which is less susceptible to dirt and scratches, next to the cassette body 801 on which the first identification mark 811 is provided. Therefore, during the sorting process for reuse, after the cassette lid 802 on which the first identification mark 811 is provided has been sent for reuse (sorted), when searching for the next reusable unit component, the next reusable component (here, the cassette body 801) can be easily found based on whether or not the second identification mark 812 is provided. As a result, when disassembling the Kuma cassette 800 and separating the multiple unit components to determine whether they should be reused or not, the presence or absence of the second identification mark 812 makes it possible to determine which unit components should be reused, making the separation process for reuse easier.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 can be removed by removing the cassette lid 802, on which the first identification mark 811 is provided, from the ball polishing cassette 800 (cassette body 801). Therefore, when replacing the ball polishing cloth 804, the ball polishing cloth 804 can be removed simply by removing the cassette lid 802, on which the first identification mark 811 is provided, without having to refer to instructions or the like, making maintenance work such as replacing the ball polishing cloth 804 easy to perform.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the polishing cassette 800 is provided with a strip-shaped polishing cloth 804 that can be fed out. Even if the movement of the polishing cloth 804 makes it easier for dirt and scratches to adhere to the components that make up the polishing cassette 800, as described above, the first identification mark 811 is provided in a location that is unlikely to come into contact with the polishing cloth 804, so the polishing cloth 804 is unlikely to come into contact with the component on which the first identification mark 811 is provided (here, the cassette lid 802). Therefore, the cassette lid 802 is unlikely to be stained or scratched by the polishing cloth 804, and remains clean even after use, making it possible to reuse it. This makes it easy to determine whether a component is reusable by checking for the presence or absence of the first identification mark 811, without having to check for dirt and scratches one by one, and makes the sorting process for reuse easier.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804, which serves as the ball polishing member, is an endless, strip-shaped cloth that can be fed out at the portion that comes into contact with the game ball B. Because the portion that comes into contact with the game ball B moves, compared to when the ball polishing member does not move, it is possible for the game ball B to come into contact with various portions of the ball polishing cloth 804, causing ball dirt to adhere. This allows the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing member) to be replaced more frequently, improving the ease of maintenance required for ball polishing.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the ball polishing cloth 804 used as the ball polishing member is a strip of cloth, which has a higher tensile strength than when the ball polishing member is a strip of sponge. Therefore, by feeding out the ball polishing cloth 804 while it is in contact with the game ball B, even if tension is applied to the ball polishing cloth 804, there will be no problems such as the ball polishing cloth 804 (ball polishing member) breaking. This does not reduce maintainability, and ball dirt on the game ball B can be effectively wiped away.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the polishing cassettes 800, 800A are provided with a third identification mark 813 along the path (circular route) along which the polishing cloth 804, which is made of a strip of cloth, passes. Therefore, when assembling the polishing cassettes 800, 800A or replacing the polishing cloth 804, the polishing cloth 804 can be set using the third identification mark 813 as a guide, allowing the polishing cloth 804 to be positioned along the desired path (circular route). This makes it possible to easily assemble the polishing cassettes 800, 800A without making any mistakes in the placement of the polishing cloth 804.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the first identification marks 811 to the third identification marks 813 are not provided on the rear surface (contact surface) of the rear wall 801c of the cassette body 801 of the ball polishing cassette 800, 800A that comes into contact with the ball polishing cloth 804, nor on the front surface (non-contact surface) that does not come into contact with the ball polishing cloth 804. Therefore, the contact surface (rear surface of the rear wall 801c) is free of irregularities due to the first identification marks 811, etc., so even if the ball polishing cloth 804 comes into contact, it will not become dirty or scratched, and the ball polishing cloth 804 will not be scratched. Furthermore, since the rear surface (contact surface) of the rear wall 801c is free of irregularities due to the first identification marks 811, etc., the contact surface is free of irregularities due to the first identification marks 811, etc., so the ball polishing cloth 804 can make uniform contact with the game ball B, reducing ball dirt remaining on the ball and allowing the game ball B to be thoroughly polished.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the first identification mark 811 to the third identification mark 813 are not provided on the front surface (non-contact surface) of the rear wall 801c of the cassette body 801 of the polishing cassettes 800 and 800A that does not come into contact with the polishing cloth 804. Therefore, when attempting to reuse a component having a rear wall 801c (here, the cassette body 801), the first identification mark 811 or the like will not cause the mistaken impression that the rear wall 801c is scratched. This makes it possible to accurately determine whether the cassette body 801 is reusable, and makes it easy to perform the sorting process required for reuse.

[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 55 to 57. Figure 55(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 56(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 57 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 57, 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.

[4-7. 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, 58 to 60, etc. Figure 58 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 59 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the frame base unit in the outer frame and main body frame. Figure 60 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 lending 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 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 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 63, etc.).

When the ball removal switch 742 is pressed, the ball lifting mechanism 660 and other mechanisms operate almost unconditionally for a certain period of time. 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 the game ball B into the ball receiving tray 720. Opening the door frame 3 also closes the foul shutter 571, causing the game ball B launched from the ball launching unit 550 to hit the foul shutter 571, become a foul ball, be collected, and then be ejected. The ball count memory/display 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 are assigned priorities so that they are activated 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 lending device connection terminal board 765. The frame control board 740 is connected to the gaming ball lending device 8 via the gaming ball 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 game ball lending device connection terminal board 765 is used to relay the connection between the frame control board 740 and the game ball 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 guide ribs, which can accommodate the bundled power harness PH (see Figure 60). 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 59, 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 59, 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 58 and 60).

When the frame substrate unit 730 is opened to the rear, as shown in Figure 60, 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.

[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 79 (described later), and will be briefly described here with reference to Figure 8. The game board 5 has, within a play area 5a into which a game ball B is shot, prize openings such as a general prize opening 2001, a first start prize opening 2002, a regular prize opening 2011, a second start prize opening 2004, a first large prize opening 2005, and a second large prize opening 2006, through which a bonus is awarded when a game ball B is received, and a gate 2003 through which a bonus is awarded when a game ball B passes. The player operates a handle 160 to allow the game ball B to be received into or pass through the prize opening or gate 2003, 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 to the pachinko machine 1, the game board 5 is visible to the player through the game window 101 in the door frame 3, and has a game 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 game board 5 (front unit 2000) has a plurality of general winning openings 2001 that are always open and can receive game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a, a gate 2003 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and through which game balls B can pass, a normal winning opening 2011 that is always open and can receive game balls B at a predetermined position within the game area 5a, and a first starting opening 2002 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open and can receive game balls B. The machine is equipped with a second starting opening 2004 which can receive game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2003 or when game ball B is received by normal winning opening 2011, and a first large winning opening 2005 and a second large winning opening 2006 which can receive game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for the special symbol (first special symbol or second special symbol) drawn when game ball B is received by first starting opening 2002 or second starting opening 2004.

Gate 2003 is located near the right end of the play area 5a, above the vertical center. Normal winning opening 2011 is located near the right end of the play area 5a, below the vertical center. First starting opening 2002 is located directly above outlet opening 1008, in the horizontal center of the play area 5a. Second starting opening 2004 is located near the right end of the play area 5a, above the vertical center between gate 2003 and normal winning opening 2011.

The first large prize opening 2005 is located in the upper right corner of the play area 5a, below the impact stop 1006. The second large prize opening 2006 is located in the lower right corner of the play 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 2501 that detects a game ball B passing through the gate 2003, a regular prize opening sensor 3003 that detects a game ball B received in the regular prize opening 2011, a first start opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B received in the first start opening 2002, a second start opening sensor 2502 that detects a game ball B received in the second start opening 2004, a first large prize opening sensor 2503 that detects a game ball B received in the first large prize opening 2005, and a second large prize opening sensor 2504 that detects a game ball B received in the second large prize opening 2006 (see Figure 63).

A game ball B received by 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 by the normal winning opening 2011 is detected by the normal winning opening sensor 3003 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 by the first starting opening 2002 is detected by the first starting opening sensor 3002 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 by the second starting opening 2004 is detected by the second starting opening sensor 2502 behind the game panel 1100 and then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulating ball path unit 600 below. A game ball B received by the first large winning opening 2005 is detected by the first large winning opening sensor 2503 behind the game panel 1100 and then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulating ball path unit 600 below. A game ball B received by the second large winning opening 2006 is detected by the second large winning opening sensor 2504 behind the game panel 1100 and then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulating 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 2501, regular prize opening sensor 3003, first start opening sensor 3002, second start opening sensor 2502, first large prize opening sensor 2503, second large prize opening sensor 2504, etc. The main control board 1310 also outputs drive signals to the start opening solenoid 2542 for opening and closing the second start opening 2004, the first attacca solenoid 2532 for opening and closing the first large prize opening 2005, the second attacca solenoid 2552 for opening and closing the second large prize opening 2006, etc.

When a game ball B received into the normal prize opening 2001 is detected by the normal 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 into the normal prize opening 2011 is detected by the normal prize opening sensor 3003, a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 1) are output. Furthermore, when a game ball B received into the first start opening 2002 is detected by the first start opening sensor 3002, a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 1) are output. Furthermore, when a game ball B received into the second start opening 2004 is detected by the second start opening sensor 2502, a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 1) are output. Furthermore, when a game ball B received in the first large prize opening 2005 or the second large prize opening 2006 is detected by the first large prize opening sensor 2503 or the second large prize opening sensor 2504, a predetermined number of prize ball commands (for example, 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 normal symbols drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2003 or when game ball B is accepted into normal winning port 2011, 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 2003 or when game ball B is accepted into normal winning port 2011.

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 2002, 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 2002, 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 first main winning opening 2005 and the second main winning opening 2006 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 61 and 62. Figure 61 is an explanatory diagram showing various paths for game balls on the rear side of the main body frame from the rear. Figure 62 is an explanatory diagram schematically 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. 62, 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 storage 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 storage 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 storage passage 604 to flow downstream, reducing the number of game balls B stored in the ball storage 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, normal winning port 2011, first starting port 2002, second starting port 2004, first large winning port 2005, second large winning port 2006). A game ball B received by 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 storage passage 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 storage 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 storage path 604. When game ball B is detected by foul ball sensor 607, one ball is added to the player's possession count (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 63 to 76, etc. Figure 63 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a pachinko machine. Figure 64 is a flowchart showing the launch permission process. Figure 65 is a flowchart showing the retained ball subtraction process, and Figure 66 is a flowchart showing the retained ball addition process using foul balls. Figure 67 is a flowchart showing the launch control process. Figure 68 is a time chart showing the operation of the launch solenoid and ball sending solenoid in the launch sequence. Figure 69(a) is a flowchart showing a launch control process different from that of Figure 67, and (b) is a flowchart showing the retained ball subtraction process in the case of the launch control process of (a).

Figure 70 is a flowchart showing the prize ball processing. Figure 71 is a flowchart showing the lifting motor operation processing, Figure 72 is a table showing the relationship between the lifting inlet sensor and lifting outlet sensor and the operation of the lifting motor, and Figure 73 is a graph showing the relationship between the launching operation of the game ball and the operation of the ball lifting unit. Figure 74 is a graph showing the operation of the ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit. Figure 75 (a) is a flowchart showing security processing, and (b) is a flowchart showing security processing of an embodiment different from (a). Figure 76 is a table showing the relationship between the low circulating ball sensor and the high circulating ball sensor and error notifications. Note that Figure 63 omits 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 Figure 63, 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 lending device 8 and outputs signals via the game ball lending device connection terminal board 765. The frame control board 740 also receives signals from the main control board 1310 and outputs signals.

Signals are input to the main control board 1310 from the general prize opening sensor 3001, gate sensor 2501, regular prize opening sensor 3003, first start opening sensor 3002, second start opening sensor 2502, first large prize opening sensor 2503, second large prize opening sensor 2504, etc. The main control board 1310 also outputs signals to the start opening solenoid 2542, first attacca solenoid 2532, second attacca solenoid 2552, peripheral control board 1510, etc.

The game ball 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 game ball lending device 8 from the ball lending button switch 8a, the return button switch, the frame control board 740, etc. The game ball 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 64. 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, where the frame control launch permission signal 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, turns OFF the frame control firing permission signal, and ends the process.

In step S103, it is confirmed whether the frame control board 740 is connected to the game ball lending device 8 via the game ball lending device connection terminal board 765, and if it is connected to the game ball 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 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 signal 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 is returned 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 is returned and the process proceeds to step S107, where the frame control launch permission signal is turned 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, other conditions that cause the frame control launch permission (frame control launch permission signal) to be turned ON include "no fatal errors, such as a RAM error, have occurred on the frame control board 740," "no fraudulent activity has been detected by magnetic sensors, radio wave sensors, vibration sensors, etc.", "no abnormalities have occurred on 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 dispensing 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 result is obtained and the process proceeds to the next step S106, where the frame control firing permission signal 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 result is obtained and the process proceeds to step S107, where the frame control firing permission signal 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 65. 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, a NO determination is made in step S105 of FIG. 64, and the frame control launch permission signal is turned OFF in step S107, so the next game ball B is not launched. 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.

[7-3. Ball addition processing]
The ball count addition process due to fouls will be explained with reference to Figure 66. 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 hit into the play area 5a of the game board 5, no game will 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 were not hit into the play area 5a to the number of balls the player has.

In step S121, the ball count addition process determines whether the foul ball sensor 607 of the circulating ball path unit 600 has detected game ball B (foul ball) and changed from OFF to ON. If the foul ball sensor 607 has turned ON, the process proceeds to the next step S122 as YES, adds one ball to the number of balls held, and ends the process.

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 67 and 68, etc. The launch control process determines whether or not to actually launch the game ball B by driving the launch solenoid 553 after the frame control launch permission signal is turned ON in the launch permission process and the player rotates the handle 160. The launch control process first determines whether or not frame control launch permission is present (ON/OFF) in step S131, and if frame control launch permission is present (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 frame control launch permission is not present (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. 68, 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 game ball B drops from ball launcher 552b is maintained by a hardware launch sequence, but as shown in Figure 69, consistency may also be maintained by software. This launch control process first determines whether frame control launch is permitted (ON/OFF) in step S131, and if frame control launch is permitted (ON), the process proceeds to the next step S134 as YES. On the other hand, if frame control launch is not permitted (OFF) in step S131, the process ends as NO, without driving 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 Figure 69 (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 launch pad 552b due to a thud or other reason, the number of balls held is subtracted by the ball subtraction process shown in Figure 69 (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 the performance 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 69(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.

[7-5. Handling of prize balls]
The prize ball processing will be explained with reference to Fig. 70 etc. In the prize ball processing, when a game ball B is received in a prize port such as the general prize port 2001, the normal prize port 2011, the first start port 2002, the second start port 2004, the first large prize port 2005, the second large prize port 2006, etc. provided on the game board 5, a predetermined number of prize balls corresponding to the prize port are awarded as a 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 71 to 74. 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 73, when the lift motor 664 starts to operate, the lift inlet sensor 653 is ON (continuously ON) for 80 ms or more, the lift motor 664 is stopped, the lift 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 lift outlet sensor 654 turns OFF, after the time ts (1800 ms in this case) has elapsed, the lift motor 664 begins to operate, and game balls B begin to be ejected from the top end of the lift spiral shaft 661 toward the ball lift outlet passage 652 (lift 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 73, 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 ball polishing cloth 682 moves 0.17 mm every time 1,000 game balls B are fired.

As shown in Figure 72, 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 73 and 74, 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 rotating two times 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 74).

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 75 etc. The purpose of the security process is to monitor for any illegal activity. As shown in Figure 75(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 75(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 76 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 storage 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 line of game balls B in the ball storage passage 604 is located downstream of the low circulating ball sensor 621, the low circulating ball sensor 621 will be OFF and the high circulating ball sensor 622 will be OFF. In such a combination, the amount of game balls B will be determined to be insufficient, and an error message will be displayed indicating that there are "too few game balls."

Furthermore, if the rearmost part of the game balls B lined up in a row in the ball storage passage 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 iron balls SB become mixed in with this pachinko machine 1, because a powerful magnet 616 is provided in the ball removal shutter 615 of the ball storage passage 604 on the circulation route R, the mixed iron balls 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 storage passage 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 storage passage 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 hall computer (HOLCON) of the amusement hall via the game ball 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 to 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 storage passage 604, and the game ball B passage sensors (ball sensors) dedicated to stainless steel balls, which are 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 1050)/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 1050) 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 77 and other figures. Figure 77(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 1050 are provided in a pachinko machine 1 to detect unauthorized magnetism (magnetic lines of force). As shown in Figure 77 (f), the magnetic sensor 1050 comprises a sensor main body 1051 for detecting magnetism, a white sensor board 1052 on which the sensor main body 1051 is mounted, and a transparent sensor case 1053 that covers the sensor board 1052 and the sensor main body 1051. Although not shown, in addition to the sensor main body 1051, the sensor board 1052 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 1051.

The magnetic sensor 1050 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 internal sensor body 1051 and sensor board 1052 of this magnetic sensor 1050 can be seen from the outside through the transparent sensor case 1053.

The magnetic sensor 1050 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 1050 and the positional relationship with the magnet M are as shown in Figure 77(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 1050 and the positional relationship with the magnet M are as shown in Figure 77 (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, the magnetic sensor 1050 has a detection area DA for the magnet M on one side and the other side of the long side of the magnetic sensor 1050, as shown by the hatched area in Figure 77(c). In other words, the magnetic sensor 1050 has a gourd-shaped detection area DA made up of two spheres with a diameter of approximately 10 cm. Note that Figure 77(c) is a diagram assuming that the magnetic sensor 1050 has been placed near the first starting hole 2002 of the game board 5 as a fraud prevention measure.

Next, as shown in Figure 77 (d), if a magnetic body M1 is placed in parallel with a magnetic sensor 1050 capable of detecting 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 1050, which may prevent the magnetic sensor 1050 from detecting the magnetic field lines (magnetism) from the magnet M.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 77 (e), if a magnetic body M2 is placed in series with a magnetic sensor 1050 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 1050. 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 lines 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 1050 is attached without using screws.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 77 (f), the magnetic sensor 1050 is attached to the frame of the gaming machine (main frame 4 and gaming board 5) via a holding portion 1055 made of a non-magnetic material (here, synthetic resin). The holding portion 1055 is molded integrally with a member not shown. This holding portion 1055 has a storage portion 1056 that can store the magnetic sensor 1050 from one side, and an elastic claw 1057 that engages with the magnetic sensor 1050 stored in the storage portion 1056. The holding portion 1055 also has a protrusion 1058 that protrudes into the storage portion from the leg of the elastic claw 1057. This holding portion 1055 is made of transparent synthetic resin.

When the magnetic sensor 1050 is inserted into the storage section from the outside, the holding section 1055 that holds the magnetic sensor 1050 elastically deforms the elastic claw 1057 in a direction away from the storage section 1056. When the magnetic sensor 1050 is stored in the storage section 1056, the elastic claw 1057 returns to its original position and engages with the end of the magnetic sensor 1050. At this time, the protrusion 1058 on the leg of the elastic claw 1057 abuts against the magnetic sensor 1050, pressing the magnetic sensor 1050 against a portion of the inner surface of the storage section 1056 opposite the elastic claw 1057.

The engagement of this elastic claw 1057 prevents the magnetic sensor 1050 from moving in the direction of coming out of the housing portion 1056, preventing the magnetic sensor 1050 from falling out. Furthermore, the abutment of the protrusion 1058 presses the magnetic sensor 1050 into the housing portion 1056, preventing the magnetic sensor 1050 from rattling within the housing portion 1056.

In this way, because the holding portion 1055 is made of a non-magnetic material, when the magnet M is brought close to the play area 5a, the holding portion 1055 is prevented from attracting magnetic field lines from the magnet M, and a decrease in the magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1050 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 1050, it is possible to dissuade players from engaging in fraudulent activity, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly effective in deterring fraudulent activity.

In addition, the holding portion 1055, 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 1050. This makes it possible to effectively detect the magnetic field acting on the play area 5a with fewer magnetic sensors 1050 than conventional pachinko machines, allowing for fewer magnetic sensors 1050 than conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by elastically deforming the elastic claws 1057 of the holding portion 1055, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be easily attached to and detached from the holding portion 1055. This means that the magnetic sensor 1050 can be attached using the elastic claws 1057 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, the magnetic sensor 1050 is biased (pressed) toward the accommodation portion 1056 by the protrusion 1058 of the holding portion 1055, and this biasing force by the protrusion 1058 can suppress fine vibrations of the magnetic sensor 1050. This reduces the likelihood of the connector connected to the magnetic sensor 1050 becoming detached or of poor contact occurring due to such vibrations, ensuring reliable operation of the magnetic sensor 1050.

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 1050 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 1050, 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 1050 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 the foul ball passage 603 and other paths. 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 1050 is connected to the frame control board 740. When the magnetic sensor 1050 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 also 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 78 is an explanatory diagram showing frame decorative members that can be attached and detached to the door frame.

As shown in Figure 78, 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.

[8. Game Board]
Next, the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 79 to 85. Figure 79 is a front view of the game board, showing the transparent center gadget and other components as opaque. Figure 80 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 79 as seen from the front right, Figure 81 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 79 as seen from the front left, and Figure 82 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 79 as seen from the rear. Figure 83 is an exploded perspective view of the game board of Figure 79, disassembled into its main components, as seen from the front, and Figure 84 is an exploded perspective view of the game board of Figure 79, disassembled into its main components, as seen from the rear. Figure 85 is a front view of the game board, showing the play area in which game balls circulate, by cutting the front unit parallel to the surface of the game panel.

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 first start opening 2002, a gate 2003, a regular prize opening 2011, a second start opening 2004, a first large prize opening 2005, and a second large prize opening 2006, 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 passed through. This game board 5 is designed for entertaining players to operate the handle 160 and circulate game balls B within the game area 5a so that game balls B are accepted into or pass through the general prize opening 2001, first start opening 2002, gate 2003, regular prize opening 2011, second start opening 2004, first large prize opening 2005, second large prize opening 2006, etc. 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 1050 (see Figure 112) that detect illicit magnetic fields within the play area 5a; and a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 112) 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 film-like decorative cell 1140 that is provided behind the transparent game panel 1100 and decorates the game area 5a, a rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000 that is attached to the rear side of the game 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 112, etc.) that controls the game content that is played by shooting game ball B into the game area 5a.

The gaming board 5 also includes a function display unit 1400 that displays the game status based on control signals from the main control board 1310 and is attached to the upper left corner of the front component 1000 so as to be visible to the player; a peripheral control unit 1500 that is located behind the gaming panel 1100; an effect display device 1600 that is located in the center of the gaming area 5a when viewed from the front and is capable of displaying specified effect images; a panel relay board (not shown) that is located behind the gaming panel 1100 and relays the connection between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510; a front unit 2000 that is attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100; and a rear unit 3000 that is attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100.

A performance display device 1600 is provided on the rear surface of the rear unit 3000, and a peripheral control unit 1500 is provided on the rear surface of the performance display device 1600.

The front unit 2000 has multiple (four in this case) general winning openings 2001 that are always open and can receive game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a, a gate 2003 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and allows game balls B to pass through, a first starting opening 2002 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 regular winning opening 2011 that is always open and can receive game balls B at a predetermined position within the game area 5a. The game board 5 is also equipped with a second starting opening 2004 that can accept game ball B depending on the result of a lottery for a normal symbol drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2003 or is received by normal winning opening 2011, and a first large winning opening 2005 and a second large winning opening 2006, either of which can accept game ball B depending on the result of a lottery for a first special symbol drawn when game ball B is received by first starting opening 2002 or a second special symbol drawn when game ball B is received by second starting opening 2004. The game board 5 also has multiple magnetic sensors 1050 (see FIG. 112, etc.) that detect magnetic fields acting illicitly within the game area 5a.

The front unit 2000 is also 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 2023, which is located upstream of the outlet 1008 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 2002.

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 horizontal center of the play area 5a and has a first start port 2002; 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 two sub-out ports 2023; 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 one general winning port 2001, a gate 2003, a regular winning port 2011, a second start port 2004, a first large winning port 2005, a second large winning port 2006, and three sub-out ports 2023.

The rear unit 3000 comprises multiple magnetic sensors 1050 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 3010b in its rear wall 3010a, a lock slider 3020 that detachably attaches the effect display device 1600 to the rear wall of the rear box 3010, and a rear board unit 3040 that is positioned behind the effect display device 1600 and attached to the rear wall of the rear box 3010.

The rear unit 3000 also includes a rear ball guide unit 3100 located at the bottom near the front end of the rear box 3010, through which game balls B guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 circulate; a rear front decorative unit 3200 located near the front end of the rear box 3010; a rear first presentation unit 3300 located behind the rear front decorative unit 3200 within the rear box 3010; and a rear second presentation unit 3400 located behind the rear first presentation unit 3300 within the rear box 3010.

[8-1. Front components]
The front component 1000 of the gaming board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 86 to 88. Figure 86(a) is a perspective view of an assembly having the front component, gaming panel, and front unit on the gaming board of Figure 79, as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of an assembly having the front component, gaming panel, and front unit on the gaming board of Figure 79, as seen from the rear. Figure 87 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly shown in Figure 86, disassembled into its main components, as seen from the front, and Figure 88 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly shown in Figure 86, disassembled into its main components, as seen from the rear.

The entire component 1000 is transparent. When viewed from the front, the 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. The rear side of the component 1000 is recessed forward from the rear end face to a depth that allows the play panel 1100 to fit in, and the component 1000 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 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 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 allows the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage and lower full payout passage of the lower full ball path unit to pass through the notch 1010 and the notch and face forward, allowing gaming balls to be supplied 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.

[8-1a. 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 89 etc. Figure 89(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 89 (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 has 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 89 (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.

[8-1b. 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 90 etc. Figure 90(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 game board second information display portion 1020 also has 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 game board second information display portion 1020 has 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 90(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. It 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, which is inserted into the lower insertion hole 1020b. As shown in Figure 90(b), when the locking claw 1021b is locked with the locking rib 1020c, its rear end 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.

[8-1c. 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 91 etc. Figure 91(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 91 (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 game 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 91 (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.

[8-2. Game Panel]
The game panel 1100 of the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 87 and 88. 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 are omitted, the gaming panel 1100 is provided with multiple mounting holes and positioning holes for mounting and positioning the front component 1000, the front unit 2000 such as the starting unit 2100 and center role 2500, the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000, etc.

[8-3. Decorative cels]
The decorative cells 1140 on the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 86 to 88. The decorative cells 1140 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 is equipped with a film-like decorative cell 1140 with a predetermined pattern applied to it.

The decorative cell 1140 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 1140 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 1140 is divided into four. Specifically, the decorative cell 1140 is made up of four parts: the area between the inner rail 1002 and the center device 2500, from near the backflow prevention member 1007 to the upper left edge of the side unit 2200; the area between the lower right rail 1004 and the center device 2500, including the side unit 2200 and the starting unit 2100, to the left of the first large winning opening 2005; the area between the outer rail 1001 and the center device 2500, from near the backflow prevention member 1007 to the impact stopper 1006; and the area between the right rail 1005 and the center device 2500, below the impact stopper 1006.

The decorative cell 1140 is formed so that its outer edge roughly coincides with the inner edge of the previous component 1000, and its inner edge is formed so that it is slightly recessed outward from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100.

The decorative cell 1140 has multiple mounting holes, and is attached to the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100 using mounting screws (not shown) that pass through these mounting holes. The mounting screws have cylindrical steps that are the same height as the thickness of the decorative cell 1140, and are used to position it relative to the gaming panel 1100 at the same time as it is attached. The mounting holes are located in a position that makes them difficult to see from the front when assembled onto the gaming board 5.

Decorative cell 1140 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 1140 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.

In this embodiment, the decorative cells 1140 are provided on a portion of the gaming panel 1100, so a greater number of decorative cells 1140 can be obtained 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.

Furthermore, because the decorative cell 1140 is attached to the gaming panel 1100 with mounting screws, the decorative cell 1140 can be easily attached and detached from the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, by replacing the decorative cell 1140 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. In addition, by replacing the decorative cell 1140 with one with a more decorative design, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, because the decorative cell 1140 is located behind the transparent gaming panel 1100, the distance from the player to the decorative cell 1140 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 1140 translucent, so that light from an LED located behind the gaming panel 1100 (decorative cell 1140) can illuminate the image on the decorative cell 1140, improving the appearance within the gaming area 5a. The illuminated decoration of the decorative cell 1140 can also strongly attract the attention of players, enhancing the appeal of the pachinko machine 1.

[8-4. Main control board unit]
The main control unit 1300 in the game board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 82 to 84. 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 112) 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 frame control board 740, out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, peripheral control board 1510, etc. The main control board 1310 is also connected to the function display unit 1400, general prize opening sensor 3001, first start opening sensor 3002, second start opening sensor 2502, regular prize opening sensor 3003, gate sensor 2501, first large prize opening sensor 2503, second large prize opening sensor 2504, first large prize opening sensor 2503, start opening solenoid 2542, first attacca solenoid 2532, second attacca solenoid 2552, magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 112), etc.

The main control board 1310 also has a base monitor 1310a consisting of four 7-segment LEDs (see Figure 112). The base monitor 1310a can be seen from behind through the transparent board cover 1340. This base monitor 1310a 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 the out ball sensor 605 and safe ball sensor 606 provided in the circulating ball path unit 600 of the main frame 4. In this embodiment, the base monitor 1310a displays the number of game balls B (the number of balls that returned to the game hall) counted by the out ball sensor 605 and safe ball sensor 606 after 100 shots 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 79 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 pattern indicator consisting of two LEDs that displays the lottery results for the normal pattern drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2003 or when game ball B is accepted into normal winning port 2011, and a normal hold indicator consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of holds related to game ball B passing through gate 2003 or when game ball B is accepted into normal winning port 2011.

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 2002, 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 2002, 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 first major winning opening 2005 or the second major winning opening 2006 is repeated when the lottery result for the first special pattern or the lottery result for the second special pattern is a "win" or the like.

This functional display unit 1400 can display the number of reserved items, designs, etc. by turning on, off, blinking, etc. the LEDs provided as appropriate.

[8-6. Peripheral Control Unit]
The peripheral control unit 1500 in the gaming board 5 will be described mainly with reference to FIG. 82 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 effect display device 1600, which is attached to the rear surface of the rear box 3010. The peripheral control unit 1500 includes a peripheral control board 1510 (see FIG. 112) 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 112). 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 83 and 84. 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 4:3 19-inch full-color LCD display device with a white LED backlight, and is mounted in landscape orientation on the rear surface (rear wall) of the rear box 3010. The performance display device 1600 is connected to the peripheral control board 1510 and can display specified still images and videos.

The performance display device 1600 has two upper fixing pieces 1601 protruding upward from the top surface and one lower fixing piece 1602 protruding downward from the bottom surface. With the LCD screen facing forward, the performance display device 1600 is attached to the rear box 3010 by inserting the two upper fixing pieces 1601 from diagonally behind the rear box 3010 into two fixing grooves 3010d opening into the upper inner surface of the opening 3010b of the rear box 3010 (described below), then moving the lower fixing piece 1602 forward to insert the lower fixing piece 1602 into the opening of the lock slider 3020, and sliding the lock slider 3020 to the left when viewed from behind.

[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 86 to 88. 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 includes 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 gate 2003 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and through which game balls B can pass, a normal winning opening 2011 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 2002 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, and a gate 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 equipped with a second starting opening 2004 which can accept game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2003 or when game ball B is accepted into normal winning opening 2011, and a first large winning opening 2005 and a second large winning opening 2006 which can accept game ball B depending on either the first special symbol drawn when game ball B is accepted into first starting opening 2002 or the second special symbol drawn when game ball B is accepted into second starting opening 2004.

The front unit 2000 also includes an outlet 1008 and a sub-outlet 2023 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 2023 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 gate sensor 2501 that detects the passage of game ball B through gate 2003, a second start opening sensor 2502 that detects game ball B received in second start opening 2004, a first large prize opening sensor 2503 that detects game ball B received in first large prize opening 2005, a second large prize opening sensor 2504 that detects game ball B received in second large prize opening 2006, and a magnetic sensor 1050 that detects any unauthorized magnetic fields acting within the game area 5a.

Of the multiple (four in this example) general winning openings 2001, three are located to the left of the horizontal center at the bottom of the play area 5a, and the remaining one is located to the right of the horizontal center at the bottom of the play area 5a. The gate 2003 is located above the vertical center near the right edge of the play area 5a. The regular winning opening 2011 is located below the vertical center near the right edge of the play area 5a. The first starting opening 2002 is located directly above the outlet opening 1008 in the horizontal center of the play area 5a. The second starting opening 2004 is located above the vertical center between the gate 2003 and the regular winning opening 2011 near the right edge of the play area 5a. The first large winning opening 2005 is located below the impact stopper 1006 in the upper right corner of the play area 5a. The second large prize slot 2006 is located in the bottom right corner of the gaming area 5a.

The outlet 1008 is located at the downstream end of the play area 5a, directly below the first starting outlet 2002. Of the multiple (here six) sub-outlets 2023, three are located to the left of the center in the horizontal direction at the bottom of the play area 5a, two are located to the right of the center in the horizontal direction at the bottom of the play area 5a, and the remaining one is located near the left end of the play area 5a, approximately in the center in the vertical direction.

The front unit 2000 comprises a start port unit 2100 which is attached to the center of the left-right direction within the play area 5a, directly above the bottom end of the play area 5a, and which has a first start port 2002; and a side unit 2200 which is located to the left of the start port unit 2100 when viewed from the front, along the inner rail 1002, and which has three general winning ports 2001 and three sub-out ports 2023.

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 one general winning opening 2001, a gate 2003, a regular winning opening 2011, a second starting opening 2004, a first large winning opening 2005, a second large winning opening 2006, and three sub-out openings 2023.

[8-8a. Starting port unit]
Next, the starting opening unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 79 to 81 and 85. 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 2002 that is always open upward and wide enough to receive only one game ball B.

When the start port unit 2100 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the first start port 2002 is located directly below the central release section 2518a on the stage 2518 of the center device 2500, allowing for a high probability of receiving a gaming ball B released from the central release section 2518a. The gaming ball B received by this first start port 2002 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 3002, it is discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b 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 79 to 81 and 85. 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 three sub-out ports 2023 that are always open to receive game balls B.

The side unit 2200 has regular winning openings 2001 and sub-outlets 2023 arranged alternately along the inner rail 1002 from right to left, with the openings positioned higher toward the left. Each regular winning opening 2001 and sub-outlet 2023 has an opening large enough (width) for one game ball B.

The side unit 2200 also has a shelf 2201 at its highest left end, which slopes downward as it moves to the right. When assembled to the game board 5, the shelf 2201 is located to the left of and below the warp entrance 2515. A decorative sticker with a specified decoration is affixed to the front of the side unit 2200.

When the side unit 2200 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the three general winning openings 2001 and the sub-out opening 2023 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 2023 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. Center gadget]
Next, the center role 2500 in the front unit 2000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 92 and 93. Figure 92 is a perspective view of the center role of the game board as seen from the front, and Figure 93 is a perspective view of the center role of the game board as seen from the back. The center role 2500 of the front unit 2000 is located above the starting hole unit 2100 and slightly above the center in a front view within the game area 5a, and is attached to the front of the game panel 1100. The center role 2500 is formed in the shape of a transparent frame.

The center device 2500, details of which will be described later, consists of a gate 2003 in which a lottery for a normal symbol is performed when a game ball B passes through, a normal winning opening 2011 which is always open to receive a game ball B and in which a lottery for a normal symbol is performed when a game ball B is received, and a second winning opening 2011 which can receive a game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for a normal symbol that is performed when a game ball B passes through the gate 2003 or when a game ball B is received by the normal winning opening 2011. It is equipped with a start opening 2004, a first large prize opening 2005 and a second large prize opening 2006, either of which opens or closes to allow the game ball B to be received depending on the results of the lottery for the first special symbol drawn by receiving a game ball B into the first start opening 2002 or the second special symbol drawn by receiving a game ball B into the second start opening 2004, and three sub-outlets 2023 that discharge the received game ball B without returning it to the game area 5a.

The center device 2500 is equipped with a gate sensor 2501 that detects the passage of game ball B through gate 2003, a second start opening sensor 2502 that detects game ball B received in second start opening 2004, a first large prize opening sensor 2503 that detects game ball B received in first large prize opening 2005, and a second large prize opening sensor 2504 that detects game ball B received in second large prize opening 2006.

The center device 2500 also includes a center frame 2510 formed in a frame shape along the inner periphery of the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. The center frame 2510 includes a forward protruding portion 2511 that protrudes forward from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 to a position similar to the front end of the obstacle nail N, a plate-shaped flange portion 2512 that extends from the rear end of the forward protruding portion 2511 toward the outside of the frame parallel to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, a rearward protruding portion 2513 that protrudes rearward beyond the flange portion 2512, and a plate-shaped support portion 2514 that extends from the rear end of the forward protruding portion 2511 toward the inside of the frame parallel to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100.

The forward protrusion 2511 of the center device 2500 is provided in a frame shape around almost the entire periphery of the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. This forward protrusion 2511 prevents the game ball B from entering (flowing into) the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. The flange portion 2512 is used to attach the center frame 2510 to the front of the gaming panel 1100. The rear protrusion 2513 and support portion 2514 are mainly used to reinforce the center frame 2510.

Furthermore, the center device 2500 is equipped with a warp entrance 2515 that opens on the left side of the frame-shaped forward protrusion 2511 to allow game ball B to enter, a warp passage 2516 that guides game ball B that enters the warp entrance 2515 into the frame of the center device 2500, a warp exit 2517 that opens at the downstream end of the warp passage 2516, and a stage 2518 that rolls game ball B that comes out of the warp exit 2517 in the left-right direction and then releases it forward and below the center device 2500.

The stage 2518 is located within the opening 1112, behind the flange portion 2512 (the front surface of the gaming panel 1100). The stage 2518 is curved with a recessed central portion in the left-right direction, and is formed in a wavy (W-shape) such that the position corresponding to directly above the first starting hole 2002 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 2518 has a central release portion 2518a 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 2518b) that are inclined downward toward the front, and gaming balls B can be released into the gaming area 5a from these portions.

Furthermore, the center reel 2500 comprises a stage unit 2520 which forms the lower edge of the center reel 2500 and has a stage 2518; a first attacca unit 2530 which forms the upper right corner of the center reel 2500 and has a first large prize opening 2005; a gate unit 2540 which is located below the first attacca unit 2530 and has a gate 2003, a normal prize opening 2011, a second start opening 2004, and a sub-out opening 2023; a second attacca unit 2550 which forms the lower right corner of the center reel 2500 and is located to the left of the stage unit 2520 and below the gate unit 2540 and has a normal prize opening 2001, a second large prize opening 2006, and a sub-out opening 2023; and a center upper left unit 2560 which forms part of the left edge and upper edge of the center reel 2500 and is located so as to connect the stage unit 2520 and the first attacca unit 2530.

In this embodiment, the center role piece 2500 is divided into five parts circumferentially by the stage unit 2520, first attacca unit 2530, gate unit 2540, second attacca unit 2550, and center upper left unit 2560. Accordingly, the center frame 2510 is also divided into five parts circumferentially.

The center device 2500 includes a second starting gate door 2541 that can open and close the second starting gate 2004, a starting gate solenoid 2542 that opens and closes the second starting gate door 2541 in accordance with the result of the regular lottery drawn by receiving a game ball B at the regular winning gate 2011, a first large winning gate door 2531 that can open and close the first large winning gate 2005, and a first large winning gate door 2531 that can open and close the first large winning gate door 2531 in accordance with the result of the regular lottery drawn by receiving a game ball B at the first starting gate 2002 or the second starting gate 2004. a first attacca solenoid 2532 that opens and closes depending on the lottery results for the first special symbol or the second special symbol that is drawn by receiving a game ball B into the first starting hole 2002 or the second starting hole 2004; a second large winning hole door 2551 that can open and close the second large winning hole 2006; and a second attacca solenoid 2552 that opens and closes the second large winning hole door 2551 depending on the lottery results for the first special symbol or the second special symbol that is drawn by receiving a game ball B into the first starting hole 2002 or the second starting hole 2004.

The center device 2500 also includes a pattern display 2505 that displays the special pattern, fourth pattern, etc. drawn by receiving the game ball B into the first starting hole 2002 or the second starting hole 2004.

[8-8c-1. Stage unit]
The stage unit 2520 of the center prop 2500 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 94 to 98. Figure 94(a) is a front view of the stage unit in the center prop, and (b) is a rear view of the stage unit in the center prop. Figure 95 is an exploded perspective view of the stage unit disassembled and seen from the front, and Figure 96 is an exploded perspective view of the stage unit disassembled and seen from the rear. Figure 97 is a front view showing an enlarged view of the main parts of the stage unit. Figure 98(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line TA in Figure 97, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CH in Figure 97, (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line TS in Figure 97, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along line TTE in Figure 97.

The stage unit 2520 forms part of the left side and part of the bottom side of the center prop 2500, and as shown in Figure 94 (a), its shape when viewed from the front is an arc that bulges out to the lower left.

This stage unit 2520 comprises a first member 2521 attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100, a second member 2522 attached to the rear of the first member 2521, a third member 2523 attached to the rear of the first member 2521 so as to sandwich the second member 2522 from behind, and a decorative sticker 2524 affixed to a portion of the front of the first member 2521.

The first member 2521 is large enough to form the entire stage unit 2520, and the second member 2522 and third member 2523 are attached to its rear side. This first member 2521 forms part of the center frame 2510 and has a forward protrusion 2511, a flange portion 2512, a rear protrusion 2513, and a support portion 2514.

More specifically, the forward protrusion 2511 of the first member 2521 is formed in the shape of a strip with a width similar to the distance from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 to the front end of the obstacle nail N, with its width oriented in the front-to-rear direction and separated into two parts spaced apart in the left-to-right direction. The right forward protrusion 2511 (compartment 2511a, described below) is located to the right of the stage 2518 and extends approximately vertically in the up-down direction. The left forward protrusion 2511 is located to the left of the warp exit 2517 and extends upward and to the left. A warp entrance 2515 is located midway along this left forward protrusion 2511, opening to the left. The right forward protrusion 2511 protrudes less forward than the left forward protrusion 2511.

The flange portion 2512 of the first member 2521 extends from the rear end of the forward protrusion 2511 outward from the center frame 2510 in a flat plate shape parallel to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, connecting the two forward protrusions 2511, which are separated to the left and right. The right end of the flange portion 2512 coincides with the right forward protrusion 2511, and the left end extends to a position below the left forward protrusion 2511 and below the warp entrance 2515. The flange portion 2512 of the first member 2521 extends left and right along the stage 2518 and warp passage 2516, with the left end higher. The front surface of the flange portion 2512 of the first member 2521 is recessed to a certain depth within a specified area, and a decorative sticker 2524 with a specified decoration printed on it is affixed to the recessed portion.

The rearward protrusion 2513 of the first member 2521 is provided in a plate-like shape protruding rearward from the rear surface of the flange portion 2512, along the right and bottom edges of the flange portion 2512. This rearward protrusion 2513 is provided to correspond to the lower wall portion 2523c of the third member 2523. The support portion 2514 of the first member 2521 extends in a plate-like shape from the rear end of the left forward protrusion 2511 toward the inside of the center frame 2510. Note that a portion of each of the flange portion 2512 and the support portion 2514 forms the front wall of the warp passage 2516.

Furthermore, the first member 2521 has mounting holes 2521a that penetrate the flange portion 2512 and the support portion 2514 and through which mounting screws are inserted to mount the first member 2521 to the gaming panel 1100, and plate positioning pins 2521b that protrude rearward from the rear surfaces of the flange portion 2512 and the support portion 2514 and are inserted into positioning holes in the gaming panel 1100.

The first member 2521 also has inclined front portions 2521c that are provided on the lower and left edges of the flange portion 2512 and are inclined so that they move more rearward toward the tip, and multiple cylindrical protrusions 2521d that protrude rearward in a cylindrical shape from the rear surface of the flange portion 2512 and have a screw hole formed in the center. The multiple cylindrical protrusions 2521d are used to attach the second member 2522 and the third member 2523. Of the multiple cylindrical protrusions 2521d, four cylindrical protrusions 2521d located below the stage 2518 are provided symmetrically about the central release portion 2518a of the stage 2518.

The first member 2521 also has a seal removal hole 2521e that penetrates the flange portion 2512. The seal removal hole 2521e is located in the area where the decorative seal 2524 is affixed, and is designed to allow a rod-shaped tool to be inserted from the rear to push the affixed decorative seal 2524 forward, making it easier to remove.

The second member 2522 is sandwiched between the first member 2521 and the third member 2523. This second member 2522 is located below the warp exit 2517, extends to the right from near the left end of the warp exit 2517, and has a stage 2518 provided on part of it. This second member 2522 has a rolling surface portion 2522a extending left and right with its plate surface facing up and down, on whose upper surface the game ball B can roll, a plate-shaped front wall plate portion 2522b extending upward from the front end of the rolling surface portion 2522a, and a plate-shaped rear wall plate portion 2522c extending upward from the rear end of the rolling surface portion 2522a.

The rolling surface portion 2522a extends roughly horizontally from near the center in the left-right direction, with the right side having ups and downs, and the stage 2518 is provided in this area. On the other hand, the portion of the rolling surface portion 2522a to the left of the stage 2518 is inclined, becoming higher as it moves leftward toward the warp exit 2517.

The front wall plate portion 2522b is provided on the front edge of the rolling surface portion 2522a, excluding the central release portion 2518a and side release portion 2518b of the stage 2518. Furthermore, the portion of the front wall plate portion 2522b corresponding to the stage 2518 protrudes further forward than the other portions. The front wall plate portion 2522b protrudes upward from the rolling surface portion 2522a to a position lower than the diameter of the game ball B. The rear wall plate portion 2522c is provided along the entire length of the rear edge of the rolling surface portion 2522a, and protrudes upward from the rolling surface portion 2522a to a position lower than the diameter of the game ball B.

Furthermore, the second member 2522 has a plurality of protrusions 2522d that protrude from the front wall plate 2522b and the rear wall plate 2522c toward the rolling surface 2522a at a portion of the rolling surface 2522a to the left of the stage 2518 and are arranged in a staggered pattern in the direction of flow (left-right direction) of the game ball B. The multiple protrusions 2522d are intended to cause the game ball B to snake back and forth by alternately coming into contact with them, thereby slowing down its flow speed (rolling speed).

The second member 2522 also has a rear inclined portion 2522e on the rear surface of the front wall plate portion 2522b that is inclined so as to move more forward as it approaches the tip, and a downward protrusion 2522f that protrudes downward from near the front end of the rolling surface portion 2522a. The downward protrusion 2522f is provided along the entire length of the front edge of the rolling surface portion 2522a, and its front surface is provided on the same plane as the front surface of the front wall plate portion 2522b excluding the portion corresponding to the stage 2518.

The second member 2522 also has multiple positioning pins 2522g that protrude cylindrically rearward from the rear wall plate portion 2522c. The multiple positioning pins 2522g are spaced apart in the left-right direction, and one of them is located on a vertical line passing through the center of the central release portion 2518a of the stage 2518. The multiple positioning pins 2522g are used to position the second member 2522 with the third member 2523, and are inserted into positioning holes 2523f of the third member 2523.

Furthermore, the second member 2522 has a plurality of mounting portions 2522h provided below the rolling surface portion 2522a. The plurality of mounting portions 2522h are for mounting the second member 2522 to the first member 2521. Each of the plurality of mounting portions 2522h has a recessed portion formed therein that allows the cylindrical protrusion 2521d of the first member 2521 to be inserted from the front, and a countersink formed in the rear end surface through which a mounting screw is inserted. Furthermore, of the plurality of mounting portions 2522h, four mounting portions 2522h provided below the stage 2518 are provided symmetrically about the central release portion 2518a of the stage 2518. Therefore, by attaching the plurality of mounting portions 2522h to the corresponding cylindrical protrusions 2521d, the second member 2522 can be positioned in a predetermined position relative to the first member 2521.

The third member 2523 is attached to the rear side of the first member 2521 so that the second member 2522 is sandwiched between the third member 2523 and the first member 2521. This third member 2523 includes a rear wall portion 2523a extending left and right along the second member 2522 with its plate surface facing forward and backward, an upper wall portion 2523b protruding forward from the upper edge of the rear wall portion 2523a, a lower wall portion 2523c protruding forward from the lower edge of the rear wall portion 2523a by a length shorter than that of the upper wall portion 2523b, and a ball passage portion 2523d extending left and upward from the left ends of the rear wall portion 2523a and upper wall portion 2523b.

The rear wall portion 2523a prevents the game ball B from falling rearward from the rolling surface portion 2522a of the second member 2522 that constitutes the stage 2518. The upper edge of the rear wall portion 2523a is located at a position higher than the diameter of the game ball B from the upper surface of the rolling surface portion 2522a. In addition, the lower edge of the rear wall portion 2523a is located so as to coincide with the rear protrusion portion 2513 of the first member 2521.

The upper wall portion 2523b protrudes forward to the same position as the front end of the right-side forward protrusion 2511 of the first member 2521, and covers the top of the stage 2518. This upper wall portion 2523b is inclined so that it becomes higher as it moves forward from the upper edge of the rear wall portion 2523a. This makes it difficult for debris, dust, etc. falling from above to fall into the play area 5a. Furthermore, if a game ball B falls for some reason, the game ball B can be allowed to fall backward, and will not accumulate between the glass 120 and the upper wall portion 2523b.

The lower wall portion 2523c is arranged to coincide with the rearward protruding portion 2513 of the first member 2521. This lower wall portion 2523c is arranged so that its front end surface abuts against the rear end surface of the rearward protruding portion 2513 of the first member 2521 when assembled to the stage unit 2520.

The sphere passage section 2523d is formed in the shape of a trough that opens forward, and the opening at its front end is closed by the flange section 2512 and support section 2514 of the first member 2521. This sphere passage section 2523d extends from near the warp entrance 2515 to the warp exit 2517, and forms the bottom wall, rear wall, and top wall of the warp passage 2516.

The third member 2523 also has an attachment piece 2523e extending outward from the front end of the ball passage portion 2523d parallel to the rear wall portion 2523a, a positioning hole 2523f provided in the rear wall portion 2523a into which the positioning pin 2522g of the second member 2522 is inserted, an attachment hole 2523g provided in the rear wall portion 2523a and the attachment piece 2523e into which a mounting screw is inserted to attach the third member 2523 to the first member 2521, and a screw passage hole 2523h provided in the rear wall portion 2523a through which a mounting screw can be inserted to attach the second member 2522 to the first member 2521. The screw passage hole 2523h is provided in a position that overlaps with the attachment portion 2522h of the second member 2522 in rear view.

In the stage unit 2520 of this embodiment, the second member 2522 is screwed to the rear of the flange portion 2512 of the first member 2521. Specifically, the mounting portion 2522h of the second member 2522 has a recess that is recessed from the front, and the cylindrical protrusion 2521d of the first member 2521 is inserted into this recess, and an attachment screw is then screwed into the cylindrical protrusion 2521d from the rear of the mounting portion 2522h, thereby attaching the second member 2522 to the first member 2521.

At this time, the cylindrical protrusion 2521d is inserted into the recess of the mounting portion 2522h, and the fit between them positions the second member 2522 in a predetermined position relative to the first member 2521.

After attaching the second member 2522 to the first member 2521, the third member 2523 is positioned behind the second member 2522, and the third member 2523 is then moved forward to insert the positioning pin 2522g of the second member 2522 into the positioning hole 2523f of the third member 2523. This positions the third member 2523 in a predetermined position relative to the second member 2522.

Once the third member 2523 is positioned relative to the second member 2522, the axis of the mounting hole 2523g of the third member 2523 coincides with the axis of the cylindrical protrusion 2521d of the first member 2521. Therefore, the third member 2523 can be attached to the first member 2521 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2523g from the rear and into the cylindrical protrusion 2521d. This completes the assembly of the stage unit 2520.

When the stage unit 2520 is assembled, as shown in Figure 98, the front surface of the downward protrusion 2522f of the second member 2522 abuts against the rear surface of the flange portion 2512 of the first member 2521, and the rear surface of the rear wall plate portion 2522c of the second member 2522 abuts against the front surface of the rear wall portion 2523a of the third member 2523. In other words, the second member 2522 is sandwiched between the first member 2521 and the third member 2523.

In addition, in the stage unit 2520, the rear end surface of the rear protrusion 2513 of the first member 2521 abuts against the front end surface of the lower wall portion 2523c of the third member 2523. The rear protrusion 2513 and the lower wall portion 2523c are provided below the rolling surface portion 2522a (stage 2518) of the second member 2522 with a gap between them. Therefore, in the stage unit 2520, a square pipe-shaped reinforcing portion 2525 having a closed space 2525a with a square cross section is provided below the stage 2518 by the flange portion 2512, the rolling surface portion 2522a, the rear wall portion 2523a, the rear protrusion 2513, and the lower wall portion 2523c (see Figure 98). This increases the strength and rigidity of the stage unit 2520, making the stage 2518 less likely to warp even when subjected to the weight of the game ball B, and stabilizing the rolling (behavior) of the game ball B on the stage 2518, allowing it to roll as designed.

In the stage unit 2520, even if the positioning accuracy of the stage 2518 within the unit is high using the positioning pins 2522g, if the positioning accuracy between the stage unit 2520 and the gaming panel 1100 is low, the accuracy of the stage 2518 as a gaming board 5 will be low, and the designed effect of the stage 2518 may not be fully realized. In contrast, in the stage unit 2520 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 98, the relationship between the diameter d1 of the board positioning pin 2521b that positions the stage unit 2520 on the gaming panel 1100 and the diameter d2 of the positioning pin 2522g that positions the second member 2522 and the third member 2523 is d1 > d2. Furthermore, the board positioning pin 2521b is longer not only in diameter but also in length. In other words, the board positioning pin 2521b is larger than the positioning pin 2522g. This improves the positioning accuracy of the stage unit 2520 relative to the base gaming panel 1100, allowing the stage 2518 to fully demonstrate the effects envisioned during design.

In addition, the stage unit 2520 of this embodiment has a rear inclined portion 2522e on the upper edge of the front wall plate portion 2522b of the second member 2522, which can prevent the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518 from being released forward. Also, in the first member 2521, a front inclined portion 2521c is provided on the lower edge of at least the portion below the stage 2518 (front wall plate portion 2522b) of the flange portion 2512 attached to the front surface of the game panel 1100.

As shown in Figure 98, the rear inclined portion 2522e is inclined on the rear surface of the front wall plate portion 2522b, so as to move forward as it approaches the tip (upper edge), and the front inclined portion 2521c is inclined on the flange portion 2512, so as to move rearward as it approaches the tip (lower edge).

In this way, because the inclined back portion 2522e is provided on the upper edge of the front wall panel 2522b on the front side of the stage 2518, the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518 is guided by the inclined back portion 2522e, making it easier for it to fall forward from areas other than the central release section 2518a or the side release section 2518b. As a result, when the game ball B rolls left or right on the stage 2518, there is a risk that it will fall from areas other than the central release section 2518a or the side release section 2518b (the front wall panel 2522b). This draws the player's attention to the game ball B on the stage 2518, making them feel anxious and excited as they hope that the game ball B will not fall from the front wall panel 2522b. Therefore, the movement of the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518 can be more enjoyable than in conventional pachinko machines, and a decline in player interest can be prevented.

In addition, because the lower edge of the flange portion 2512 is provided with a front inclined portion 2521c, game balls B that have fallen from the stage 2518 or front wall panel portion 2522b and rolled along the front surface of the flange portion 2512 can be smoothly transferred to the front surface of the game panel 1100. This makes it difficult for game balls B to bounce off the lower end of the flange portion 2512, preventing game balls B from making unexpected movements or damaging components below.

In addition, in this embodiment, the front wall panel portion 2522b is provided with a rear inclined portion 2522e, which makes it easier to insert fingers between the front wall panel portion 2522b and the upper wall portion 2523b when removing the stage unit 2520 from the gaming panel 1100, and also makes it easier to hook the inserted fingers, making it easier to remove the stage unit 2520.

In the stage unit 2520 of this embodiment, a screw insertion hole 2523h is provided in the third member 2523 at a position rearward of the mounting portion 2522h of the second member 2522. Therefore, when disassembling the stage unit 2520 for recycling or the like, all mounting screws can be removed from the rear of the stage unit 2520. This eliminates the need to, for example, take a screwdriver to remove the mounting screws attaching the third member 2523, then put the screwdriver down to remove the third member 2523 from the first member 2521, then take the screwdriver again to remove the mounting screws attaching the second member 2522, and then put the screwdriver down to remove the second member 2522 from the first member 2521, thereby improving workability during disassembly.

Furthermore, because the third member 2523 has a screw insertion hole 2523h, if it is discovered that the stage 2518 is misaligned after being assembled to the gaming board 5, the mounting screws attaching the second member 2522 can be loosened from the rear through the screw insertion hole 2523h with a screwdriver, without having to remove the stage unit 2520 from the gaming panel 1100. This allows the second member 2522 holding the stage 2518 to be fine-tuned to eliminate the misalignment of the stage 2518.

The stage unit 2520 is also equipped with a light-emitting means at the rear, such as an LED or a performance display device 1600, that can emit light forward. This allows the light from the light-emitting means to brightly illuminate and decorate the stage unit 2520, decorative stickers 2524, etc.

The game ball B flowing down the left side of the center device 2500 on the front of the game panel 1100 rolls along the so-called guide nails toward the first starting hole 2002 located below the center device 2500. However, when the game ball B bounces upward due to the obstacle nails N, such as guide nails, its movement is not hindered and it behaves naturally because the upper flange portion 2512 has a front inclined portion 2521c. Furthermore, because the front inclined portion 2521c is located at the tip of the flange portion 2512, the game ball B hits the surface of the front inclined portion 2521c and does not hit the corner at the tip of the flange portion 2512, so the flange portion 2512 does not chip or crack.

Furthermore, in the stage unit 2520 of this embodiment, the second member 2522 is provided with a front wall plate portion 2522b having a rear inclined portion 2522e as the front wall portion of the stage 2518, but this is not limited to this, and the front wall portion (front wall plate portion) of the stage 2518 may be provided on the first member 2521. In other words, the front inclined portion and the rear inclined portion may be provided on a single member.

[8-8c-2. Demolition trace area]
Next, the demolding traces 2519 provided on the center role 2500, such as the stage unit 2520, will be described in detail with reference to Figures 99 to 104. Figures 99(a) to 99(d) are explanatory diagrams showing various aspects of demolding traces. Figure 100(a) is a front view of a first member in which demolding traces are provided on both the front and rear sides of the stage unit of the center role, and a rear view of the first member in which demolding traces are provided on both the front and rear sides of the stage unit. Figure 101(a) is a front view of a second member in which demolding traces are provided only on the rear side of the stage unit, and (b) is a rear view of the second member in which demolding traces are provided only on the rear side of the stage unit. Figure 102(a) is a front view of a third member in which demolding traces are provided only on the front side of the stage unit, and (b) is a rear view of the third member in which demolding traces are provided only on the front side of the stage unit. Figure 103(a) is a plan view of a second member in which a demolding trace portion is provided in a position different from that of Figure 101, and (b) is a front view of a third member in which a demolding trace portion is provided in a position different from that of Figure 102. Figure 104 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a center role with a demolding trace portion provided on the front side together with a game board.

First, demolding traces 2519 will be explained with reference to Figure 99. Demolding traces 2519 are extrusion traces left on a product by a mechanism (e.g., an ejector pin, a push-up core, a straight-up core, an ejection core, etc.) used to remove a product from a molding die (metal mold) after the product has been molded using the molding die. Demolding traces 2519 are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to adjacent flat areas. Here, demolding traces 2519 provided on stage unit 2520 will be explained as an example. Note that in the illustration, demolding traces 2519 are shaded to make them easier to see.

Figure 99(a) shows a demolding trace 2519 provided on the plate surface of a plate-shaped portion such as the flange portion 2512. Here, a circular demolding trace 2519 is shown, but it may also be polygonal, such as a triangle, square, pentagon, or hexagon, or irregularly shaped, such as a star or heart. Furthermore, when multiple demolding traces 2519 are provided on the plate surface, the multiple demolding traces 2519 may be scattered on the front and rear (back) surfaces, or multiple demolding traces 2519 may be concentrated on one surface. For example, by scattering multiple demolding traces 2519 on the front and rear (back) surfaces of a transparent plate, it is possible to create a perspective effect on the appearance of the demolding traces 2519 from the outside, and it is possible to create a three-dimensional decorative effect using the multiple demolding traces 2519 themselves. Furthermore, if there is a concern that the appearance of the demolding trace portions 2519 will hinder the decoration of the entire gaming machine (pachinko machine), it is desirable to, for example, arrange the multiple demolding trace portions 2519 so that they are concentrated on the rear surface (back surface) of the transparent plate surface, and arrange the front inclined portion 2521c, decorative sticker 2524, and other members on the surface of the transparent plate surface so that they overlap (overlap) the demolding trace portions 2519 on the rear surface (back surface) to make the demolding trace portions 2519 difficult to see from the outside. Furthermore, when the front inclined portion 2521c, decorative sticker 2524, and other members are arranged on the surface of the transparent plate surface so that they overlap (overlap) the demolding trace portions 2519 on the rear surface (back surface), it is desirable to make the multiple demolding trace portions 2519 difficult to see by integrating them with the front inclined portion 2521c and decorative sticker 2524. Furthermore, when multiple demolding traces 2519 are arranged together on the front surface of a transparent or opaque plate, a decorative sticker 2524 or other components may be arranged on the front surface of the plate so as to directly overlap (overlap) the multiple demolding traces 2519, which also makes it difficult to see the demolding traces 2519 from the outside.

Figures 99(b) to (e) show multiple demolding traces 2519 provided on the end surface (surface in the plate thickness direction) of a plate-shaped portion. Here, the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511 is used as an example. The demolding traces 2519 shown in Figure 99(a) are part of a circle (here, semicircle) that does not fit within the vertical width of the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511, and are provided at intervals. These semicircular demolding traces 2519 are provided so that the edge of the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511 on the side from which the flange portion 2512 and support portion 2514 do not extend contacts the chord portion of the semicircle. In other words, the center of the semicircle of the semicircle in the semicircular demolding trace 2519 is provided in a position close to the edge of the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511 on the side from which the flange portion 2512 and support portion 2514 do not extend. Furthermore, although not shown in the figures, a predetermined distance from the left and right ends of the forward protrusion 2511 is a prohibited area where no demolding traces 2519 are to be placed. This makes it possible to prevent slight irregularities in the demolding traces 2519 from impeding the accuracy of assembly with other components if, during the design process, it becomes necessary to assemble one or both of the left and right ends of the forward protrusion 2511 in contact with other components.

The demolding traces 2519 shown in Figure 99 (c) are rectangular and spaced apart. Here, the demolding traces 2519 are shown as rectangles that are long in the longitudinal direction of the forward protrusion 2511. In this example, the demolding traces 2519 are arranged to fit within the vertical and horizontal widths of the front end face of the forward protrusion 2511. In other words, none of the sides of the demolding traces 2519 are in contact with the edge of the front end face of the forward protrusion 2511. The quadrangular demolding traces 2519 may be square or have another shape.

The demolding trace 2519 shown in Figure 99 (d) is part of a large circle, as indicated by the two-dot chain line, and has a long shape that follows the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511. This demolding trace 2519 is a large circle that does not fit within the vertical width of the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511, and the center of this large circle is located on the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511. Furthermore, this demolding trace 2519, excluding the arc portion, is in contact with both end edges of the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511.

The demolding trace portion 2519 shown in Figure 99 (e) is a long rectangle that follows the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511. One of the four sides of this rectangular demolding trace portion 2519 contacts the edge of the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511 on the side where the flange portion 2512 and support portion 2514 do not extend, and the remaining sides do not contact the edge of the front end surface. Note that this demolding trace portion 2519 may also contact both ends of the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511.

Note that while Figures 99(b) to (e) show the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511 extending in a straight line, this is not limited to this and it may extend in a curved or broken line. Even in this case, it is possible to provide multiple demolding traces 2519 in a pattern similar to that described above.

In addition, while Figure 99 shows multiple demolding traces 2519 of the same shape, this is not limited to this, and demolding traces 2519 of different shapes may be mixed together. For example, demolding traces 2519 of different shapes may be arranged alternately, or arranged according to a predetermined algorithm. This allows the multiple demolding traces 2519 to be given a decorative feature, and the appearance will not be impaired even if the demolding traces 2519 are visible.

[8-8c-2a. Traces of stage unit removal]
Next, the demolding traces 2519 provided on the stage unit 2520 of the center role piece 2500 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to FIGS. 100 to 102. As shown in FIG. 100, the first member 2521 of the stage unit 2520 has demolding traces 2519 on both the front (front side) and rear (back side). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 100(a), the first member 2521 has two forward protruding portions 2511 protruding forward, and multiple demolding traces 2519 are provided on the front end surface of the left forward protruding portion 2511. The demolding traces 2519 provided on the front end surface of the forward protruding portion 2511 are elongated rectangles. As will be described in detail later, the demolding traces 2519 are intentionally not provided on the front end surface of the right forward protruding portion 2511 at the right end of the stage 2518.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 100(b), the first member 2521 has multiple demolding traces 2519 on the rear end surface of the forward protrusion 2511 on the left side (right side in rear view) and on the rear end surface of the rear protrusion 2513. The demolding traces 2519 located above the warp entrance 2515 are circular, while the other demolding traces 2519 are rectangular. The demolding traces 2519 located on the back side of the first member 2521 are mainly located on the rear end surfaces of the forward protrusion 2511 and the rear end surfaces of the rear protrusion 2513. Therefore, even if the forward protrusion 2511 is transparent, they can be made difficult to see from the front of the forward protrusion 2511 due to refraction due to the distance between the forward protrusion 2511 and the rear end surface of the rear protrusion 2513, or due to the visibility-impairing effect of decorations (ornamental objects) placed behind the first member 2521.

In addition, in the first member 2521, a decorative sticker 2524 is affixed to the front surface of the flange portion 2512, making the demolding traces 2519 on the rear surface of the flange portion 2512 and the rear end surface of the rearward protrusion 2513 less visible due to the decorative sticker 2524. Furthermore, the decorative sticker 2524 is decorated in a way that is integrated with the decoration of the decorative cells 1140 on the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, and these decorations stand out, making the demolding traces 2519 less noticeable. Note that a "lens cut portion formed with an uneven surface on the front surface of the flange portion 2512" may also be used as a means of making the demolding traces 2519 less noticeable, in addition to the decorative sticker 2524. In this case, the more noticeable the decoration of the lens cut portion, the less noticeable the demolding traces 2519.

Furthermore, behind the first member 2521, there is provided a performance display device 1600 that displays performance images including moving images, and an illuminating decoration (illuminating decorative body) equipped with decorative LEDs that emit light and flash, and the light from these makes the demolding traces 2519 less noticeable.

In addition, a demolding trace portion 2519 may be provided on the rear end surface of the cylindrical protrusion 2521d on the back side of the first member 2521. Even in this case, the presence of the cylindrical protrusion 2521d makes it difficult to see the demolding trace portion 2519 from the front, and also makes it easier to remove (demold) the first member 2521 from the molding die.

In addition, in the first member 2521, the flange portion 2512 and support portion 2514, whose plate surfaces face the front-to-rear direction, have demolding traces 2519 on their rear surfaces, making the demolding traces 2519 difficult to see from the front. On the other hand, in the first member 2521, the forward protrusion 2511 and rear protrusion 2513, whose plate surfaces face in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, have demolding traces 2519 on narrow portions such as the front and rear end surfaces, making them smaller than the demolding traces 2519 on the plate surfaces and difficult to see from the front.

Furthermore, in the first member 2521, the cylindrical cover portion that constitutes the warp entrance 2515, which is open to allow the game ball B to enter, and the ball passage that leads to the warp exit 2517, which opens at the downstream end of the warp passage 2516, does not have any demolding traces 2519 on its front or back surface. This makes it possible to avoid the visibility of the game ball B that has entered the warp entrance 2515 being hindered by the demolding traces 2519.

In this embodiment, the first member 2521 has a demolding trace portion 2519 on the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511, but this is not limited to this. The first member 2521 may not have a demolding trace portion 2519 on the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511. In other words, the first member 2521 may have a demolding trace portion 2519 only on the rear surface.

Next, as shown in FIG. 101, the second member 2522 of the stage unit 2520 of the center role piece 2500 has demolding traces 2519 only on the rear side (back side) in the front-to-rear direction. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 101(b), the second member 2522 has multiple demolding traces 2519 on the rear surface of the rear wall plate 2522c. The multiple demolding traces 2519 are provided at regular intervals along the rear wall plate 2522c. The demolding traces 2519 near the central release portion 2518a of the stage 2518 are provided symmetrically with respect to the central release portion 2518a. The multiple demolding traces 2519 provided on the second member 2522 are circular.

This second member 2522 has multiple demolding traces 2519 on the rear surface of the rear wall plate 2522c, and the rolling surface 2522a and front wall plate 2522b in front of it, making the demolding traces 2519 difficult to see from the front. Even if the demolding traces 2519 are visible in the stage 2518 area, they are arranged symmetrically around the central release portion 2518a, so the demolding traces 2519 do not look like decoration and do not detract from the appearance.

In addition, behind the second member 2522, there is provided a performance display device 1600 that displays performance images including moving images, and an illuminating decoration (illuminating decorative body) equipped with decorative LEDs that emit light and flash, and the light from these makes the demolding traces 2519 less noticeable.

This second member 2522 has a stage 2518 (rolling surface portion 2522a), so players will focus their attention on the second member 2522 to enjoy the movement of the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518. However, the second member 2522 has a demolding trace portion 2519 in a location that is difficult to see from the front (the rear surface of the rear wall panel portion 2522c). This makes it difficult for players standing in front of the pachinko machine 1 to see the demolding trace portion 2519, preventing the demolding trace portion 2519 from detracting from the appearance and preventing the demolding trace portion 2519 from causing discomfort or annoyance to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the second member 2522 has a plurality of protrusions 2522d arranged in a staggered pattern on the rolling surface portion 2522a to the left of the stage 2518, and some or all of the plurality of protrusions 2522d may be arranged to overlap the demolding traces 2519 in the front-to-rear direction. This configuration also makes it possible for the protrusions 2522d to make the demolding traces 2519 less visible to players in front, thereby preventing the demolding traces 2519 from spoiling the appearance.

Furthermore, with the second member 2522, the demolding trace portion 2519 formed during molding is located in a portion that does not impede the flow of game ball B (a portion that does not come into contact with game ball B). This means that the demolding trace portion 2519 does not affect the movement of game ball B rolling on stage 2518, thereby improving the flow accuracy of game ball B on the second member 2522 (stage 2518). Therefore, game ball B rolling on stage 2518 can be made to move as designed, and game ball B can be released from stage 2518 to the front side of the game panel 1100 with the intended probability.

Next, as shown in FIG. 102, the third member 2523 in the stage unit 2520 of the center role piece 2500 has demolding traces 2519 only on the front side (front side). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 102(a), the third member 2523 has multiple demolding traces 2519 on the front end surface of the upper wall portion 2523b and the front end surface of the lower wall portion 2523c. The multiple demolding traces 2519 on the front end surface of the upper wall portion 2523b are rectangular. The demolding traces 2519 on the upper wall portion 2523b near the central release portion 2518a of the stage 2518 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central release portion 2518a. On the other hand, the multiple demolding traces 2519 provided on the front end surface of the lower wall portion 2523c have a shape that is partially semicircular, with the center being near the outer edge of the front end surface of the lower wall portion 2523c.

In this third member 2523, the multiple demolding traces 2519 on the front end surface of the upper wall portion 2523b are visible to the player because there are no components in front of them that make them difficult to see. On the other hand, the multiple demolding traces 2519 on the front end surface of the lower wall portion 2523c are difficult to see from the front because the rear protrusion 2513 of the first member 2521 is located in front of them.

The third member 2523 does not have demolding traces 2519 on the front and rear surfaces of the rear wall portion 2523a or on the top and bottom surfaces of the top wall portion 2523b. Therefore, the demolding traces 2519 do not detract from the appearance of the stage 2518 and do not affect the movement of the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518.

However, if a circular demolding trace portion 2519 similar to game ball B is provided on the rear wall portion 2523a or upper wall portion 2523b of the third member 2523, there is a risk that the demolding trace portion 2519, which appears above the stage 2518, will be mistaken for game ball B. Furthermore, if game ball B and the demolding trace portion 2519 overlap, the demolding trace portion 2519 will look like an afterimage of the rolling game ball B, making it appear to be moving differently than it actually is, which may cause distrust of the movement of game ball B on stage 2518. However, in this embodiment, the third member 2523 does not have demolding traces 2519 on plate surfaces such as the front and rear surfaces of the rear wall portion 2523a and the upper and lower surfaces of the upper wall portion 2523b. Therefore, the demolding traces 2519 will not be mistaken for the game ball B, and the movement of the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518 will not appear strange, ensuring that the player can enjoy the movement of the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518. Furthermore, if a circular demolding trace 2519 is provided, making it a circle with a diameter larger or smaller than the diameter of the game ball B will make it even easier to avoid mistaking the demolding traces 2519 for the game ball B.

In addition, behind the third member 2523, there is provided a performance display device 1600 that displays performance images including moving images, and an illuminating decoration (illuminating decorative body) equipped with decorative LEDs that emit light and flash, and the light from these makes the demolding traces 2519 less noticeable.

With this third member 2523, the demolding trace portion 2519 formed during molding is located outside the circulation area 2523i through which the game balls B circulate. This means that the demolding trace portion 2519 does not appear to overlap with the game balls B circulating in the circulation area 2523i, making it easier for players to see the game balls B circulating in the circulation area 2523i. Therefore, the movement of the game balls B circulating in the circulation area 2523i does not cause any sense of incongruity or discomfort, and the player can enjoy watching the movement of the game balls B.

Furthermore, with the third member 2523, the demolding trace portion 2519 is located outside the circulation area 2523i, so that the game balls B circulating in the circulation area 2523i do not come into contact with the demolding trace portion 2519. This means that the demolding trace portion 2519 does not impede the circulation of the game balls B, and the circulation accuracy of the game balls B in the stage unit 2520 (center device 2500) can be improved. Therefore, the game balls B circulating in the center device 2500 can be made to move as designed, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that allows players to enjoy themselves as intended.

Furthermore, with the third member 2523, players will be drawn to the third member 2523 in order to enjoy the movement of the game ball B circulating through the warp passage 2516, stage 2518, etc. However, since the third member 2523 has the demolding trace portion 2519 in a location that is difficult to see from the front, the demolding trace portion 2519 can be made difficult to see by players in front of the pachinko machine 1, preventing the demolding trace portion 2519 from deteriorating the appearance and preventing the demolding trace portion 2519 from causing discomfort or annoyance to players.

Furthermore, with the third member 2523, even if the demolding trace portion 2519 is visible to the player, the shape of adjacent demolding trace portions 2519 is made to be the same, making the demolding trace portion 2519 appear like a pattern. Even if the demolding trace portion 2519 is visible, it does not detract from the appearance of the center role device 2500 (third member 2523), and does not cause the player to feel strange or uncomfortable.

[8-8c-2b. Another example of demolding traces of stage unit]
Next, another example in which demolding trace portions 2519 are provided in a different location on the stage unit 2520 from the above will be described with reference to FIG. 103 . First, FIG. 103( a) is a plan view of the second member 2522. The cross-hatched area in FIG. 103( a) is the contact area 2522i with which the rolling game ball B comes into contact. As shown, in the second member 2522 of this stage unit 2520, multiple demolding trace portions 2519 are provided on the upper surface side of the rolling surface portion 2522a on which the game ball B rolls, in a location outside the contact area 2522i. In this example, multiple demolding trace portions 2519 are provided in the area where multiple protrusions 2522d are provided between the warp exit 2517 and the stage 2518. This prevents the demolding trace portions 2519 from affecting the rolling of the game ball B. Furthermore, since the demolding traces 2519 are provided between the plurality of protrusions 2522d, the demolding traces 2519 are less noticeable. Note that, in the second member 2522, the demolding traces 2519 may be provided on the back side (lower surface side) of the rolling surface portion 2522a, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 103(a).

Figure 103(b) is a front view of the third member 2523 of the stage unit 2520. The cross-hatched area in Figure 103(b) is the circulation area 2523i through which game balls B circulate. As shown, the third member 2523 of this stage unit 2520 has multiple circular demolding traces 2519 on the front surface of the rear wall portion 2523a, below the circulation area 2523i. These demolding traces 2519 are located outside the circulation area 2523i and therefore do not affect the circulation of game balls B. Furthermore, when assembled to the stage unit 2520, these demolding traces 2519 are located within the closed space 2525a of the reinforcing portion 2525, making them difficult to see from the front.

In addition, according to this third member 2523, a demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the front surface of the rear wall portion 2523a below the circulation area 2523i. This prevents game balls B circulating in the circulation area 2523i from coming into contact with the demolding trace portion 2519, and the demolding trace portion 2519 does not impede the circulation of game balls B. This increases the circulation accuracy of game balls B on the stage 2518, allowing game balls B circulating in the center device 2500 to move as designed, providing a pachinko machine 1 that allows players to enjoy themselves as intended.

[8-8c-2c. Demolding traces of forward protrusion]
Next, the demolding trace portion 2519 provided on the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511 of the center frame 2510 will be described with reference to FIG. 104. The center frame 2510 of the center role 2500 has a forward protrusion 2511 that protrudes forward by the same length from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 to the front end of the obstacle nail N. In the state of the pachinko machine 1, the glass 120 of the door frame 3 is provided in front of the forward protrusion 2511. Between the front end of the forward protrusion 2511 and the glass 120, there is a gap through which the game ball B cannot pass. This prevents the game ball B from moving beyond the forward protrusion 2511 to the opposite side, restricting the flow of the game ball B into the frame of the center frame 2510 and preventing the game ball B from entering the frame.

This forward protrusion 2511 is not provided in the area of the second member 2522 in the stage unit 2520, but the upper wall portion 2523b of the third member 2523 serves as the forward protrusion 2511. Therefore, here, the upper wall portion 2523b of the third member 2523 will also be treated as the forward protrusion 2511. Furthermore, in the first attacca unit 2530 and gate unit 2540 in the center role device 2500, a front plate is provided in front of the forward protrusion 2511, and in these areas, the forward protrusion 2511 is hidden from the front.

As shown in FIG. 104, the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511, including the front end surface of the upper wall portion 2523b, is provided with multiple demolding traces 2519. This allows the player to see the multiple demolding traces 2519 arranged in a frame-like pattern. Furthermore, since the demolding traces 2519 are slightly uneven or inclined compared to the general surface of the front end of the forward protrusion 2511, they emit light in a different manner from the other general surfaces when exposed to light from light-emitting means such as LEDs or the performance display device 1600 provided at the rear. As a result, the frame-shaped forward protrusion 2511 on the center frame 2510 (center role 2500) stands out, drawing attention to the presence of the forward protrusion 2511, which restricts the inflow of game ball B, and the multiple demolding traces 2519 can be used to create a decorative frame-like pattern.

The forward protrusion 2511 of the center frame 2510 has a partition 2511a that extends vertically at the right end of the stage 2518. This partition 2511a extends from near the right end of the upper wall 2523b below the flange 2512 to near the lower right rail 1004, dividing the play area 5a below the center gimmick 2500 into left and right halves. In this embodiment, the front end surface of the partition 2511a in the forward protrusion 2511 does not have a demolding trace 2519. This allows the player to recognize that the partition 2511a in the forward protrusion 2511 is not a part that constitutes a frame like other parts that have multiple demolding traces 2519, and makes it possible to recognize that the play area 5a is divided into left and right halves.

Alternatively, since the front end surface of the partition 2511a of the forward protrusion 2511 does not have a demolding trace 2519, it is possible to make it difficult to notice the existence of the partition 2511a. This gives the player the illusion that the game ball B can move back and forth across the partition 2511a.

In addition, the partition section 2511a is shown as extending from near the right end of the upper wall section 2523b to near the lower right rail 1004, but it may also extend from near the right end of the upper wall section 2523b to the lower end of the flange section 2512 below the stage 2518, or it may extend from near the right end of the upper wall section 2523b beyond the flange section 2512 to a height that will prevent the ball from entering the first starting opening 2002 or the general winning opening 2001.

This center frame 2510 makes the center frame 2510 stand out thanks to the forward protrusion 2511 and the demolding traces 2519 provided on the front end surface of the upper wall 2523b, attracting the player's attention to the center frame 2510 and making the player realize that a completely different center frame 2510 from conventional ones has been installed, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

Furthermore, with the center frame 2510, the shapes of adjacent demolding traces 2519 are made uniform, so that the demolding traces 2519 on the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511 of the center frame 2510 can be made to look like a pattern, improving the appearance of the center frame 2510.

Furthermore, according to the center frame 2510, the front end surface of the partition 2511a in the forward protrusion 2511 is not provided with a demolding trace 2519. This allows the player to recognize that the partition 2511a is a different part from the part of the forward protrusion 2511 where the demolding trace 2519 is provided, and therefore allows the player to recognize that the partition 2511a is not a part that constitutes a frame, and allows the player to recognize that the playing area 5a is divided into left and right halves.

Alternatively, since the front end surface of the partition 2511a does not have a demolding trace portion 2519, the partition 2511a is less noticeable than the portion of the forward protrusion 2511 where the demolding trace portion 2519 is provided or the upper wall portion 2523b, making it difficult to notice the presence of the partition 2511a and giving the player the illusion that the game ball B can move back and forth across the partition 2511a.

[8-8c-3. Second embodiment of stage unit]
Next, the second embodiment of the stage unit 2520A in the center prop 2500 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 105 to 109. Figure 105 is a front view showing a portion of the stage unit of the second embodiment, which is different from Figure 94 and other figures. Figure 106(a) is a perspective view of the stage unit of Figure 105 as seen from the front, and Figure 106(b) is a perspective view of the stage unit of Figure 105 as seen from the rear. Figure 107 is an exploded perspective view of the stage unit of Figure 105 as seen from the front, and Figure 108 is an exploded perspective view of the stage unit of Figure 105 as seen from the rear. Figure 109(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line N-NA in Figure 105, Figure 109(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in Figure 105, and Figure 109(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line N-NU in Figure 105. Note that the same components as those of the stage unit 2520 of the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals.

The stage unit 2520A is provided in part of a frame-shaped center frame 2510. The center frame 2510 is equipped with a forward protruding portion 2511 that protrudes forward from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 to a position similar to the front end of the obstacle nail N, a plate-shaped flange portion 2512 that extends from the rear end of the forward protruding portion 2511 toward the outside of the frame parallel to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, a rearward protruding portion 2513 that protrudes rearward beyond the flange portion 2512, and a plate-shaped support portion 2514 that extends from the rear end of the forward protruding portion 2511 toward the inside of the frame parallel to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100.

The forward protrusion 2511 of the center frame 2510, although not shown in detail, is provided in a frame shape along almost the entire periphery of the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. This forward protrusion 2511 prevents the game ball B from entering (flowing into) the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. The flange portion 2512 is used to attach the center frame 2510 to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. The rear protrusion 2513 and support portion 2514 are mainly used to reinforce the center frame 2510.

This stage unit 2520A is equipped with a warp entrance 2515 that opens on the left side of the frame-shaped forward protrusion 2511 to allow game ball B to enter, a warp passage 2516 that guides game ball B that enters the warp entrance 2515 into the frame of the center device 2500, a warp exit 2517 that opens at the downstream end of the warp passage 2516, and a stage 2518 that rolls game ball B that comes out of the warp exit 2517 in the left-right direction and then releases it forward and below the center device 2500.

The stage 2518 is located within the opening 1112, behind the flange portion 2512 (the front surface of the gaming panel 1100). The stage 2518 is curved with a recessed central portion in the left-right direction, and is formed in a wavy (W-shaped) shape such that the position corresponding to directly above the first starting hole 2002 of the starting hole unit 2100, that is, the approximate central position in the left-right direction when the center frame 2510 (center role device 2500) is attached to the gaming panel 1100, is slightly higher than the left and right sides. This stage 2518 has a central release portion 2518a 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 2518b) that are inclined downward toward the front, and gaming balls B can be released into the gaming area 5a from these portions.

The stage unit 2520A comprises a first member 2521 attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100, a second member 2522 provided behind the first member 2521, and a third member 2523 attached to the rear of the first member 2521 so as to sandwich the second member 2522 from behind.

The first member 2521 of the stage unit 2520A is a frame-shaped center frame 2510, and includes a forward protrusion 2511, a flange portion 2512, a rearward protrusion 2513, and a support portion 2514. Specifically, the forward protrusion 2511 of the first member 2521 is formed in the shape of a strip with a width similar to the distance from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 to the front end of the obstacle nail N, with its width oriented in the front-to-rear direction. This forward protrusion 2511 is not provided in the stage 2518 area around the entire periphery of the frame-shaped center frame 2510.

The flange portion 2512 of the first member 2521 extends from the rear end of the forward protrusion 2511 toward the outside of the center frame 2510 in the form of a flat plate parallel to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. The rear protrusion 2513 of the first member 2521 is provided so as to protrude rearward in the form of a plate from the rear surface of the flange portion 2512. The support portion 2514 of the first member 2521 extends in the form of a plate from the rear end of the forward protrusion 2511 on the left side of the stage 2518 toward the inside of the center frame 2510. Note that a portion of each of the flange portion 2512 and the support portion 2514 forms the front wall of the warp passage 2516.

Furthermore, the first member 2521 has mounting holes 2521a that penetrate the flange portion 2512 and the support portion 2514 and through which mounting screws are inserted to mount the first member 2521 to the gaming panel 1100, and plate positioning pins 2521b that protrude rearward from the rear surfaces of the flange portion 2512 and the support portion 2514 and are inserted into positioning holes in the gaming panel 1100.

The first member 2521 also has a front inclined portion 2521c that is provided on the edge of the flange portion 2512 and is inclined so that it moves more rearward as it approaches the tip, and multiple cylindrical protrusions 2521d that protrude rearward in a cylindrical shape from the rear surface of the flange portion 2512 and have a screw hole formed in the center. The multiple cylindrical protrusions 2521d are for attaching the third member 2523.

The first member 2521 also has a ball passage portion 2521f that protrudes rearward from the rear surfaces of the flange portion 2512 and the support portion 2514 and forms the upper and lower walls of the warp passage 2516, and multiple protrusions 2521g that protrude rearward within the ball passage portion 2521f. The ball passage portion 2521f is formed in a gutter shape that is open to the rear, and forms the warp passage 2516 in cooperation with the ball passage portion 2523d of the third member 2523. The multiple protrusions 2521g work in cooperation with the multiple protrusions 2523j of the third member 2523 to slow down the circulation speed of the game balls B.

Furthermore, the first member 2521 has multiple (four in this example) positioning pins 2521h that protrude cylindrically rearward from the flange portion 2512 at the stage 2518. The multiple positioning pins 2521h are provided at positions symmetrical on the left and right sides of the central release portion 2518a of the stage 2518. These positioning pins 2521h are inserted into positioning holes 2522j of the second member 2522 to position the second member 2522 in a predetermined position relative to the first member 2521 and to attach the second member 2522.

The second member 2522 is sandwiched between the first member 2521 and the third member 2523. This second member 2522 is located below the warp exit 2517, and has a stage 2518 on its upper surface. This second member 2522 has a rolling surface portion 2522a that extends left and right with its plate surface facing up and down, on whose upper surface the game ball B can roll, a plate-shaped front wall plate portion 2522b that extends upward from the front end of the rolling surface portion 2522a, and a plate-shaped rear wall plate portion 2522c that extends upward from the rear end of the rolling surface portion 2522a. The upper surface of the rolling surface portion 2522a is the stage 2518.

The front wall plate portion 2522b is provided on the front edge of the rolling surface portion 2522a, excluding the central release portion 2518a and side release portions 2518b of the stage 2518. The front wall plate portion 2522b is also provided so that its front surface is flush with the front surface of the flange portion 2512 of the first member 2521. The front wall plate portion 2522b is provided so that its upper end becomes higher the further it is from the central release portion 2518a of the stage 2518 in the left-right direction. The rear wall plate portion 2522c is provided along the entire length of the rear edge of the rolling surface portion 2522a, and protrudes upward from the rolling surface portion 2522a to a position lower than the diameter of the game ball B.

The second member 2522 also has a rear inclined portion 2522e on the rear surface of the front wall plate portion 2522b, which is inclined so that it moves more forward as it approaches the tip, and a downward protrusion 2522f that protrudes downward from near the front end of the rolling surface portion 2522a. The downward protrusion 2522f is provided along the entire length of the front edge of the rolling surface portion 2522a, and its front surface is arranged to abut against the rear surface of the flange portion 2512 of the first member 2521.

The second member 2522 also has multiple (two in this example) positioning pins 2522g that protrude rearward in a cylindrical shape from the rear wall plate portion 2522c. The multiple positioning pins 2522g are provided at positions symmetrical on the left and right sides of the central release portion 2518a of the stage 2518. The multiple positioning pins 2522g are used to position and attach the second member 2522 to the third member 2523, and are inserted into positioning holes 2523f of the third member 2523.

Furthermore, the second member 2522 is provided on the downward protrusion 2522f and has a plurality of positioning holes 2522j into which the plurality of positioning pins 2521h of the first member 2521 are respectively inserted. These multiple positioning holes 2522j are provided at positions symmetrical on the left and right sides of the central release portion 2518a of the stage 2518. By inserting the positioning pins 2521h of the first member 2521 into the positioning holes 2522j, the first member 2522 is positioned and attached to the first member 2521.

The third member 2523 is attached to the rear side of the first member 2521 so that the second member 2522 is sandwiched between the third member 2523 and the first member 2521. This third member 2523 has a rear wall portion 2523a that extends left and right along the second member 2522 with its plate surface facing forward and backward, an upper wall portion 2523b that protrudes forward from the upper edge of the rear wall portion 2523a, and a ball passage portion 2523d that extends left and upward from the left ends of the rear wall portion 2523a and the upper wall portion 2523b.

The rear wall portion 2523a prevents the game ball B from falling rearward from the rolling surface portion 2522a of the second member 2522 that constitutes the stage 2518. The upper edge of the rear wall portion 2523a is located at a position higher than the diameter of the game ball B from the upper surface of the rolling surface portion 2522a. In addition, the lower edge of the rear wall portion 2523a is located so as to protrude downward further than the rear protrusion portion 2513 of the first member 2521.

The upper wall portion 2523b protrudes forward to the same position as the front end of the forward protruding portion 2511 of the first member 2521, and covers the top of the stage 2518. This upper wall portion 2523b is inclined so that it becomes higher as it moves forward from the upper edge of the rear wall portion 2523a. This makes it difficult for debris, dust, etc. falling from above to fall into the play area 5a. Furthermore, if a game ball B falls for some reason, the game ball B can be allowed to fall backward, and will not accumulate between the glass 120 and the upper wall portion 2523b.

The ball passage section 2523d is formed in the shape of a shallow trough that is open to the front, and cooperates with the ball passage section 2521f of the first member 2521 to form the warp passage 2516.

The third member 2523 also has an attachment piece 2523e extending outward from the front end of the ball passage portion 2523d parallel to the rear wall portion 2523a, a positioning hole 2523f provided in the rear wall portion 2523a into which the positioning pin 2522g of the second member 2522 is inserted, and an attachment hole 2523g provided in the rear wall portion 2523a and the attachment piece 2523e into which a mounting screw is inserted to attach the third member 2523 to the first member 2521.

Furthermore, the third member 2523 has multiple protrusions 2523j that protrude forward within the ball passage portion 2523d. These protrusions 2523j work in conjunction with the protrusions 2521g of the first member 2521 to slow down the flow speed of the game balls B.

When the stage unit 2520A of this embodiment is assembled, multiple positioning pins 2521h protruding rearward from the flange portion 2512 of the first member 2521 are inserted into multiple positioning holes 2522j provided in the downward protruding portion 2522f of the second member 2522. Furthermore, multiple positioning pins 2522g protruding rearward from the rear wall plate portion 2522c of the second member 2522 are inserted into multiple positioning holes 2523f provided in the rear wall portion 2523a of the third member 2523. Mounting screws are threaded from the rear of the third member 2523 through mounting holes 2523g and into the cylindrical protruding portion 2521d of the first member 2521.

As a result, the third member 2523 is attached to the first member 2521, and the second member 2522 is sandwiched between the first member 2521 and the third member 2523. Furthermore, the first member 2521 and the second member 2522 are positioned by the positioning pin 2521h of the first member 2521 and the positioning hole 2522j of the second member 2522, and the positioning pin 2522g of the second member 2522 and the positioning hole 2523f of the third member 2523, and the second member 2522 and the third member 2523 are also positioned.

When assembled into stage unit 2520A, second member 2522 having stage 2518 is simply sandwiched between first member 2521 and third member 2523 and is not screwed in place. As a result, rolling surface 2522a (second member 2522) on which game ball B rolls is not forcibly fixed with mounting screws, so distortion due to physical stress does not occur in rolling surface 2522a (stage 2518), and it can perform as designed.

In stage unit 2520A, even if the positioning accuracy of stage 2518 within the unit is high using positioning pins 2521h and 2522g, if the positioning accuracy of stage unit 2520A and gaming panel 1100 is low, the accuracy of stage 2518 as a gaming board 5 will be low, and the designed effect of stage 2518 may not be fully realized. In contrast, in stage unit 2520A of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 109, the relationship between diameter d1 of board positioning pin 2521b, which positions itself on gaming panel 1100, and diameter d2 of positioning pins 2521h and 2522g is d1 > d2. Furthermore, board positioning pin 2521b is longer not only in diameter but also in length. In other words, board positioning pin 2521b is larger than positioning pin 2522g. This improves the positioning accuracy of the stage unit 2520A relative to the base gaming panel 1100, allowing the stage 2518 to fully demonstrate the effects envisioned during design.

In addition, in the stage unit 2520A, the rear end surface of the rear protrusion 2513 of the first member 2521 abuts against the front surface of the rear wall portion 2523a of the third member 2523. This rear protrusion 2513 is provided below the rolling surface portion 2522a (stage 2518) of the second member 2522 with a gap therebelow. Therefore, in the stage unit 2520A, a square pipe-shaped reinforcing portion 2525 having a closed space 2525a with a square cross section is provided below the stage 2518 by the flange portion 2512, the rolling surface portion 2522a, the rear wall portion 2523a, and the rear protrusion 2513 (see Figure 109). This increases the strength and rigidity of stage unit 2520A, making stage 2518 less likely to warp even when subjected to the weight of game ball B, and stabilizing the rolling (behavior) of game ball B on stage 2518, allowing it to roll as designed.

In addition, the stage unit 2520A of this embodiment has a rear inclined portion 2522e on the upper edge of the front wall plate portion 2522b of the second member 2522, which can prevent the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518 from being released forward. Also, in the first member 2521, a front inclined portion 2521c is provided on the lower edge of at least the portion below the stage 2518 (front wall plate portion 2522b) of the flange portion 2512 attached to the front surface of the game panel 1100.

As shown in Figure 109, the rear inclined portion 2522e is inclined on the rear surface of the front wall plate portion 2522b, so as to move forward as it approaches the tip (upper edge), and the front inclined portion 2521c is inclined on the flange portion 2512, so as to move rearward as it approaches the tip (lower edge).

In this way, because the inclined back portion 2522e is provided on the upper edge of the front wall panel 2522b on the front side of the stage 2518, the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518 is guided by the inclined back portion 2522e, making it easier for it to fall forward from areas other than the central release section 2518a or the side release section 2518b. As a result, when the game ball B rolls left or right on the stage 2518, there is a risk that it will fall from areas other than the central release section 2518a or the side release section 2518b (the front wall panel 2522b). This draws the player's attention to the game ball B on the stage 2518, making them feel anxious and excited as they hope that the game ball B will not fall from the front wall panel 2522b. Therefore, the movement of the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518 can be more enjoyable than in conventional pachinko machines, and a decline in player interest can be prevented.

In addition, because the lower edge of the flange portion 2512 is provided with a front inclined portion 2521c, game balls B that have fallen from the stage 2518 or front wall panel portion 2522b and rolled along the front surface of the flange portion 2512 can be smoothly transferred to the front surface of the game panel 1100. This makes it difficult for game balls B to bounce off the lower end of the flange portion 2512, preventing game balls B from making unexpected movements or damaging components below.

In addition, in this embodiment, the front wall panel portion 2522b is provided with a rear inclined portion 2522e, which makes it easier to insert fingers between the front wall panel portion 2522b and the upper wall portion 2523b when removing the stage unit 2520A from the gaming panel 1100, and also makes it easier to hook the inserted fingers, making it easier to remove the stage unit 2520A.

Furthermore, in the stage unit 2520A of this embodiment, the second member 2522 is simply sandwiched between the first member 2521 and the third member 2523, so the second member 2522 can be assembled together simply by screwing the third member 2523 to the first member 2521, improving assembly workability. Conversely, when the third member 2523 is removed from the first member 2521, the second member 2522 can also be removed, improving disassembly workability.

The stage unit 2520A is also equipped with a light-emitting means at the rear, such as an LED or a performance display device 1600, that can emit light forward. This allows the light from the light-emitting means to brightly illuminate and decorate the stage unit 2520, decorative stickers 2524, etc.

The game ball B flowing down the left side of the center device 2500 on the front of the game panel 1100 rolls along the so-called guide nails toward the first starting hole 2002 located below the center device 2500. However, when the game ball B bounces upward due to the obstacle nails N, such as guide nails, its movement is not hindered and it behaves naturally because the upper flange portion 2512 has a front inclined portion 2521c. Furthermore, because the front inclined portion 2521c is located at the tip of the flange portion 2512, the game ball B hits the surface of the front inclined portion 2521c and does not hit the corner at the tip of the flange portion 2512, so the flange portion 2512 does not chip or crack.

The stage unit 2520A (center frame 2510) of this embodiment also has a demolding trace portion 2519 similar to that described above, and can achieve the same effects as those described above.

In addition, in the stage unit 2520A of this embodiment, the second member 2522 is provided with a front wall plate portion 2522b having a rear inclined portion 2522e as the front wall portion of the stage 2518, but this is not limited to this, and the front wall portion (front wall plate portion) of the stage 2518 may be provided on the first member 2521. In other words, the front inclined portion and the rear inclined portion may be provided on a single member.

[8-8c-4. Summary]
The above-mentioned stage unit 2520 (stage unit 2520A) has the following technical features.

[8-8c-4a. Summary A]
(Background of technical features)
Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have a stage where a gaming ball rolls left and right and, when released downward from a specific location with a predetermined probability, there is a high probability that the ball will enter a winning hole such as a starting hole (for example, Patent Document: JP 2021-166841 A). This stage is made up of multiple components, each of which is screwed to a component attached to the front of the gaming board.

However, if the component on the stage on which the game ball rolls is screwed, the component is forcibly fixed by the screws, which can cause distortion due to physical stress, and this can cause the game ball to stop rolling as designed, or the game ball to stop being released from the designated location with the designed probability.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can improve the accuracy of rolling and releasing gaming balls on the stage.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a stage member that prevents the gaming ball from entering the opening of the gaming board, rolls the gaming ball in the left and right directions, and then drops it to the front of the gaming board,
The stage member is
A first member that is attached to the game board and also serves as a front wall of a ball flow path through which the game ball rolls in a direction parallel to the surface of the game board;
A second member constituting a bottom wall of the spherical flow path;
a third member constituting a rear wall and an upper wall of the spherical flow path;
The first member and the third member are fastened together with screws,
The second member is sandwiched between the first member and the third member, and is positioned relative to each other by positioning means consisting of a positioning pin and a positioning hole.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "stage member" may be a component attached to a frame-shaped central device that runs along the edge of the opening of the game board, or it may be a component that constitutes one of the multiple segments of a frame-shaped central device that runs along the edge of the opening of the game board and is divided along the edge of the opening.

Further examples of "ball flow paths" include "those having a stage on which game balls roll left and right," and "those having a stage on which game balls roll left and right and a warp passage for supplying game balls to the stage from within the play area in front of the game board."

Furthermore, when "screwing" the first member and the third member together, the mounting screw may be threaded from the front through the first member into the third member, or the mounting screw may be threaded from the rear through the third member into the first member.

In addition, the "positioning means" between the first and second members may be a positioning pin provided on the first member and a positioning hole provided on the second member, or a positioning hole provided on the first member and a positioning pin provided on the second member.

Furthermore, the "positioning means" between the second and third members may be a positioning pin provided on the second member and a positioning hole provided on the third member, or a positioning hole provided on the second member and a positioning pin provided on the third member.

Means 1 is configured as an amusement machine equipped with a gaming board having a stage member that prevents gaming balls from entering the opening of the gaming board, rolls the gaming balls left and right, and then drops them to the front of the gaming board. The stage member is attached to the gaming board and includes a first member that doubles as the front wall of a ball flow path through which the gaming balls roll in a direction parallel to the surface of the gaming board, a second member that forms the bottom wall of the ball flow path, and a third member that forms the rear and top walls of the ball flow path. The first and third members are fastened together with screws, and the second member is sandwiched between the first and third members and positioned relative to each other by positioning means consisting of positioning pins and positioning holes (see Chapter 8-8c-3. Second Embodiment of Stage Unit, Stage Unit 2520A, Figures 105 to 109, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This stage member has a second member that forms the bottom wall of the ball flow path, and the second member is provided with a stage on which the game balls roll left and right. This second member is sandwiched between a first member that is attached to the game board and a third member that is screwed to the first member, and the first and second members, and the second and third members, are positioned by positioning means consisting of positioning pins and positioning holes, respectively. The second member is not screwed to either the first or third member. As a result, the second member on which the stage is provided is not forcibly fixed by screws, so distortion due to physical stress does not occur, and the design performance can be achieved.

In addition, the stage member has a third member that sandwiches the second member between the first member and the third member, and the rear and upper walls of the ball flow path are provided on the third member. The third member is screwed to the first member, so the rear and upper walls of the ball flow path are firmly fixed, preventing game balls from falling to the rear or above the stage.

It is desirable to make the positioning pins smaller than the board positioning pins that position the stage member on the gaming board. In other words, it is desirable to make the board positioning pins larger than the positioning pins. This allows for greater positioning accuracy of the stage member (first member) relative to the gaming board, and also allows the stage member to be firmly fixed to the gaming board, allowing it to perform as designed.

Furthermore, as described above, if the positioning pins are made smaller than the board positioning pins that position the stage member on the game board, the positioning pins can be made less noticeable on the stage member, preventing the appearance from being impaired.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The positioning pin is
The stage member is smaller than the board positioning pin that positions the stage member on the game board.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of the positioning pin being "smaller" than the plate positioning pin include "the diameter of the positioning pin is smaller than the diameter of the plate positioning pin" and "the length of the positioning pin is smaller (shorter) than the length of the plate positioning pin."

However, even if the second and third members of the stage member are accurately positioned relative to the first member by the positioning means, if the positioning accuracy of the first member relative to the game board is low, there is a risk that the designed performance will not be achieved.

According to the configuration of means 2, the positioning pins are smaller than the board positioning pins that position the stage member on the game board (see the description of board positioning pins 2521b, 2521h, and 2522g in stage unit 2520A in the [Embodiment], as well as Figure 109, etc.).

In this method, the positioning pins of the positioning means for positioning the second member relative to the first and third members are smaller than the board positioning pins for positioning the stage member (first member) relative to the game board. In other words, the board positioning pins are larger than the positioning pins. This allows for higher positioning accuracy of the stage member (first member) relative to the game board, and also allows the stage member to be firmly fixed to the game board, allowing it to perform as designed.

In addition, because the positioning pins are smaller than the plate positioning pins, the positioning pins are less noticeable on the stage member, preventing the appearance from being impaired.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can improve the accuracy of rolling and releasing gaming balls on the stage.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The game panel 1100 on the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solution means, the center gimmick 2500 and stage unit 2520A in this embodiment correspond to the stage members of the above-mentioned solution means, the warp passage 2516 and stage 2518 in this embodiment correspond to the ball flow path of the above-mentioned problem to be solved, the center frame 2510 and first member 2521 in this embodiment correspond to the first member of the above-mentioned solution means, and the flange portion 2512 of the center frame 2510 in this embodiment corresponds to the front wall of the above-mentioned solution means.

In addition, the plate positioning pin 2521b of the first member 2521 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning pin for the problem to be solved, the positioning pin 2521h of the first member 2521, the positioning pin 2522g and positioning hole 2522j of the second member 2522, and the positioning hole 2523f of the third member 2523 in this embodiment correspond to the positioning means for the problem to be solved, the rolling surface portion 2522a of the second member 2522 in this embodiment corresponds to the bottom wall of the problem to be solved, the rear wall portion 2523a of the third member 2523 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear wall of the problem to be solved, and the upper wall portion 2523b of the third member 2523 in this embodiment corresponds to the upper wall of the problem to be solved.

(Characteristic effects of technical features)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the stage unit 2520A of the center role device 2500, the rolling surface portion 2522a of the second member 2522 forms the bottom wall of the ball flow path, and the second member 2522 is provided with a stage 2518 on which the game ball B rolls left and right. The second member 2522 is sandwiched between a first member 2521 attached to the gaming panel 1100 and a third member 2523 screwed to the first member 2521. The first member 2521 and the second member 2522, and the second member 2522 and the third member 2523 are positioned by positioning means consisting of a positioning pin 2521h and a positioning hole 2522j, and a positioning pin 2522g and a positioning hole 2523f, respectively. The second member 2522 is not screwed to either the first member 2521 or the third member 2523. As a result, the second member 2522 on which the stage 2518 is mounted is not forcibly fixed by screws, so distortion due to physical stress does not occur, and the performance can be achieved as designed.

In addition, in the stage unit 2520A, the third member 2523, which sandwiches the second member 2522 between the first member 2521, is provided with the rear wall portion 2523a and upper wall portion 2523b of the stage 2518 as a ball flow path, and the third member 2523 is screwed to the first member 2521, so the rear wall portion 2523a and upper wall portion 2523b of the stage 2518 are firmly fixed, and the game ball B will not fall behind or above the stage 2518.

Furthermore, the positioning pins 2521h and 2522g of the first member 2521 and the second member 2522 are smaller than the plate positioning pins 2521b that position the stage unit 2520A on the gaming panel 1100. In other words, the plate positioning pins 2521b are larger than the positioning pins 2521h and 2522g. This allows for higher positioning accuracy of the stage unit 2520A (first member 2521) relative to the gaming panel 1100, and also allows the stage unit 2520A to be firmly fixed to the gaming panel 1100, enabling it to perform as designed.

In addition, because the positioning pins 2521h and 2522g are smaller than the board positioning pins 2521b that position the stage unit 2520A on the gaming panel 1100, the positioning pins 2521h and 2522g can be made less noticeable on the stage unit 2520A, preventing the appearance from becoming worse.

[8-8c-4b. Summary B]
(Background of technical features)
Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have a frame-shaped center frame on the game board through which the game balls pass (for example, Patent Document: JP 2021-13673 A). The center frame has a stage that allows players to enjoy watching the game balls roll, and also allows players to see the display screen and movable decorations behind the frame, allowing them to enjoy visual effects and moving effects.

This center frame is formed by injection molding using a mold, and so traces remain of the center frame being pushed out to remove it from the mold after injection molding. Furthermore, since the center frame is located in the center of the gaming board, it is clearly visible to players, so if players can see the traces of the mold removal during center frame molding, it can look unsightly.

The following solution takes into consideration the above situation and aims to provide a gaming machine that can prevent the deterioration of appearance caused by demolding marks on the center frame.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a center frame attached to the opening edge of the gaming board,
The center frame is
a first member that is attached to the play board;
The first member has a demolding trace at a location on the rear surface that is difficult to see from the front.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "center frame" refers to something that constitutes at least a part of the so-called center gadget, and may be formed in a frame shape along the edge of the opening of the game board, or may be divided into multiple parts in a direction along the edge of the opening of the game board.

Examples of the "first member" include "one having a flange portion that can come into contact with the front surface of the playing board," "one having a forward protruding portion extending forward from the front surface of the playing board and a flange portion extending from the rear end of the forward protruding portion along the front surface of the playing board," "one having a forward protruding portion extending forward from the front surface of the playing board, a flange portion extending from the rear end of the forward protruding portion along the front surface of the playing board and a rear protruding portion protruding rearward from the rear end of the forward protruding portion or the rear surface of the flange," and "one having a flange portion that can come into contact with the front surface of the playing board and a rear protruding portion protruding rearward from the rear surface of the flange."

Furthermore, "demolding traces" are traces left on the center frame by mechanisms (e.g., ejector pins, push-up cores, straight-up cores, ejection cores, etc.) used to remove the center frame from the molding die (metal mold), and are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to other areas. Possible shapes of these "demolding traces" include "semicircular or similar shapes," "circular," "triangular," "quadrilateral," "pentagonal," "hexagonal," "polygonal," "irregular shape," "star-shaped," "heart-shaped," etc.

Examples of "areas that are difficult to see from the front" include "areas where the front side of the rear surface of a plate-shaped portion is beveled," "areas where a decorative sticker is attached to the front side of the rear surface of a plate-shaped portion," "areas where the front side of the rear surface of a plate-shaped portion is textured with numerous irregularities," and "rear end surfaces of rearward protruding portions that protrude rearward in a plate-like shape."

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a center frame attached to the edge of the opening of the gaming board, the center frame having a first member attached to the gaming board, and the first member having a demolding trace portion in a position on the rear surface that is difficult to see from the front (see chapter [8-8c-2. Demolding Trace Portion] in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention], the demolding trace portion 2519, the first member 2521 of the stage unit 2520, Figures 99 and 100, etc.).

As a result, the first member that makes up the center frame is attached to the gaming board and is positioned close to the player, making it easily visible to the player. Furthermore, because the demolding traces formed during molding are located on the rear surface of the first member, they can be made less visible from the front. Furthermore, because the demolding traces are located on the rear surface of the first member in a position that is less visible from the front, they can be made less visible to players in front of the gaming machine, preventing the demolding traces from spoiling the game's appearance. Therefore, because the demolding traces are not noticeable on the center frame, the appearance of the gaming board (gaming machine) that includes this center frame can be improved, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, if the center frame is provided with a stage where the game balls are rolled and then released onto the front side of the game board, when a player focuses their attention on the stage to enjoy the movement of the game balls rolling across the stage, the area of the first member attached to the game board near the stage will also come into view. However, because the demolding traces are provided in a less visible area on the back of the first member, the demolding traces do not stand out and cause discomfort to the player, allowing them to enjoy the movement of the game balls across the stage without any discomfort.

It is desirable to align the shapes of adjacent demolding traces. This makes it possible for the shape of adjacent demolding traces to be similar, even if the player sees the demolding trace of the first component. This allows the demolding traces to appear like a pattern, and the appearance of the center frame is not impaired even if the demolding traces are visible.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The adjacent demolding traces have the same shape."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "uniform shape" refers to "uniform shapes of demolding traces," "uniform sizes of demolding traces," "uniform spacing of demolding traces," etc.

According to the configuration of Means 2, the shapes of adjacent demolding traces are aligned (see the description of demolding traces 2519, Figure 99, etc., in Chapter 8-8c-2. Demolding Traces in the Detailed Description of the Invention).

As a result, even if the demolding traces of the first component are visible to the player, the shapes of the adjacent demolding traces are aligned, making the demolding traces appear like a pattern, and the appearance of the center frame is not impaired even if the demolding traces are visible.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can prevent the deterioration of appearance caused by demolding marks on the center frame.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The game panel 1100 on the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solution means, the center frame 2510 of the center role 2500 in this embodiment corresponds to the center frame of the above-mentioned solution means, the first member 2521 of the stage unit 2520 in the center frame of this embodiment corresponds to the first member of the above-mentioned solution means, and the demolding trace portion 2519 in this embodiment corresponds to the demolding trace portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of technical features)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the first member 2521 of the stage unit 2520 constituting the center frame 2510 of the center role device 2500 is attached to the gaming panel 1100, and is therefore positioned close to the player and is therefore easily visible to the player. Furthermore, the first member 2521 has a demolding trace 2519 formed during molding on its rear surface, making it difficult to see from the front. Furthermore, since the demolding trace 2519 is located on the rear surface of the first member 2521 in a position that is difficult to see from the front, it is possible to make the demolding trace 2519 difficult to see from the front, thereby preventing the demolding trace 2519 from deteriorating the appearance of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, since the demolding traces 2519 are not noticeable on the center frame 2510, the appearance of the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) having the center frame 2510 can be improved, and a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players can be provided.

In addition, the stage unit 2520 of the center frame 2510 is provided with a stage 2518 that rolls the game ball B and then releases it toward the front of the game panel 1100. Therefore, when a player focuses on the stage 2518 to enjoy the movement of the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518, the area of the first member 2521 attached to the game panel 1100 near the stage 2518 also comes into view. However, because the demolding trace portion 2519 is provided in a less visible area on the back surface of the first member 2521, the demolding trace portion 2519 does not stand out and cause the player to feel uncomfortable, allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B on the stage 2518 without any discomfort.

In addition, even if the player can see the demolding traces 2519 of the first member 2521, the shapes of the adjacent demolding traces 2519 are aligned, so the demolding traces 2519 can be perceived as a pattern, and the appearance of the center frame 2510 is not impaired even if the demolding traces 2519 are visible.

[8-8c-4c. Summary C]
(Background of technical features)
Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have a frame-shaped center device on a game board through which game balls flow, and a stage on the center device that rolls the game balls left and right and then releases them onto the front side of the game board (for example, Patent Document: JP 2021-13673 A). This type of gaming machine allows players to enjoy the movement of the game balls rolling on the stage.

The components (molded parts) that make up this central device are formed by injection molding using a mold, so traces remain of the molded parts being pushed out to remove them from the mold after injection molding. If there are traces of the components being removed from the mold when they were molded on the bottom surface of the circulation area through which game balls circulate, such as a stage in the central device, these traces could impede the circulation of game balls, causing them to stop rolling as designed.

The following solution takes into consideration the above situation and aims to provide a gaming machine that can improve the distribution accuracy of gaming balls in the center device.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a center gimmick attached to the opening edge of the gaming board,
The center accessory is
A bottom wall member is provided that constitutes the bottom surface of a circulation area through which game balls circulate;
The bottom wall member has a demolding trace portion provided in a location that does not obstruct the flow of game balls.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "center gadget" may be one that has a frame-shaped center frame that runs along the edge of the opening of the game board, or one that is divided into multiple units (e.g., stage units, attacca units, etc.) in a direction that runs along the edge of the opening of the game board.

In addition, examples of the "circulation area" through which game balls circulate include "a stage where game balls can roll left and right and be released to the front side of the game board," and "a warp passage that guides game balls from a predetermined position on the periphery of the center device to the stage."

Examples of a "bottom wall member" include "something that is attached to a front member (first member) that is attached to the play board," "something that is sandwiched between a front member (first member) that is attached to the play board and a rear member (third member) that is attached to the front member," and "something that is attached to the play board itself."

Furthermore, "demolding traces" are traces left on a molded product by mechanisms used to remove the molded product from the molding die (metal mold) (e.g., ejector pins, push-up cores, straight-up cores, ejection cores, etc.), and are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to other areas. Possible shapes of these "demolding traces" include "semicircular or similar shapes," "circular," "triangular," "square," "pentagonal," "hexagonal," "polygonal," "irregular shape," "star-shaped," "heart-shaped," etc.

Furthermore, examples of "areas that do not obstruct circulation" include "surfaces facing backward that do not come into contact with gaming balls," "surfaces facing forward that do not come into contact with gaming balls," "surfaces facing upward that do not come into contact with gaming balls," "surfaces facing downward," and "parts that are rolling surfaces on which gaming balls roll but do not come into contact with the gaming balls."

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a center device attached to the edge of the opening of the gaming board, the center device having a bottom wall member that forms the bottom surface of the circulation area through which gaming balls circulate, and the bottom wall member having a demolding trace portion in a location that does not obstruct the circulation of gaming balls (see chapter [8-8c-2. Demolding Trace Portion] in [Embodiment of the Invention], the demolding trace portion 2519, the second member 2522 of the stage unit 2520, the contact area 2522i, Figures 99, 101, and 103, etc.).

As a result, the bottom wall member of the center device forms the bottom surface of the circulation area through which game balls circulate, and as game balls roll on the bottom surface of the bottom wall member, players can enjoy the movement of the rolling game balls. In this case, the demolding traces formed during molding on the bottom wall member are located in areas that do not impede the circulation of game balls, so the demolding traces do not affect the movement of game balls rolling on the bottom surface of the circulation area, thereby improving the circulation accuracy of game balls in the center device (bottom wall member). Therefore, it is possible to make game balls rolling in the center device move as designed, and it is possible to provide a gaming machine that entertains players as intended.

Furthermore, since the bottom wall member of the central device provides the bottom surface of the circulation area through which game balls circulate, if this bottom surface is used as the bottom surface of the stage, as described above, the demolding traces are provided in an area that does not interfere with the circulation of game balls, so the demolding traces do not affect the movement of game balls rolling on the stage. Therefore, on the stage of the central device, rolling game balls can be made to move as designed, and game balls can be released from the stage to the front side of the game board with the intended probability.

It is desirable to locate the demolding traces in a location that is difficult to see from the front. This will draw players' attention to the bottom wall member in order to enjoy the movement of the game balls circulating in the circulation area of the bottom wall member. However, because the demolding traces are located in a location on the bottom wall member that is difficult to see from the front, the demolding traces are difficult to see for players in front of the gaming machine, preventing the demolding traces from spoiling the appearance and preventing the demolding traces from causing players a sense of incongruity or discomfort. Therefore, by making the demolding traces inconspicuous on the center device, the appearance of the gaming board (gaming machine) that includes the center device can be improved, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

It is also desirable to align the shapes of adjacent demolding traces. This makes it possible for the shape of adjacent demolding traces to be similar to a pattern, even if the demolding traces on the bottom wall member are visible to the player. This ensures that the appearance of the center role is not diminished even if the demolding traces are visible, and that the player does not feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1, "the demolding trace portion is provided in a position that is difficult to see from the front."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "areas that are difficult to see from the front" include "the rear surface of a plate-shaped portion whose plate surface faces in the front-to-rear direction," "areas that overlap in the front-to-rear direction with other components (e.g., a first component, a decorative sticker, etc.) that are provided in the front," "areas on the front of a plate-shaped portion whose plate surface faces in the front-to-rear direction that overlap in the front-to-rear direction with other components that are provided in the front," "the bottom surface of a plate-shaped portion whose plate surface faces in the up-to-down direction," "the top surface of a plate-shaped portion whose plate surface faces in the up-to-down direction," "the end surface of a plate-shaped portion whose plate surface faces in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction," etc.

However, if the removal traces are visible to the player, the appearance of the bottom wall member (center role) will be poor, which may cause the player to feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

In the configuration of Means 2, the demolding trace portion is located in a position that is difficult to see from the front (see the description of the demolding trace portion 2519, second member 2522, Figure 101, etc. in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, players will be drawn to the bottom wall member in order to enjoy the movement of the game balls circulating through the circulation area of the bottom wall member. However, because the demolding traces are located in an area of the bottom wall member that is difficult to see from the front, the demolding traces are difficult to see for players in front of the gaming machine, preventing the demolding traces from spoiling the appearance and preventing the demolding traces from causing players a sense of incongruity or discomfort. Therefore, because the demolding traces are not noticeable on the center device (bottom wall member), the appearance of the gaming board (gaming machine) that includes this center device can be improved, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

It is desirable to align the shapes of adjacent demolding traces. This makes it possible for the player to perceive the demolding traces of the bottom wall member as a pattern, even if they are visible to the player. Therefore, even if the demolding traces are visible, the appearance of the center role-playing device is not diminished, and the player does not feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can improve the distribution accuracy of gaming balls in the center device.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The game panel 1100 on the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solution means, the center gimmick 2500 and stage unit 2520 in this embodiment correspond to the center gimmick of the above-mentioned solution means, the second member 2522 of the stage unit 2520 in this embodiment corresponds to the bottom wall member of the above-mentioned solution means, and the demolding trace portion 2519 in this embodiment corresponds to the demolding trace portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

In addition, in this embodiment, the warp passage 2516, stage 2518, and contact area 2522i correspond to the flow area of the above-mentioned solution means, and the upper surface of the rolling surface portion 2522a of the second member 2522 in this embodiment corresponds to the bottom surface of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of technical features)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the second member 2522 of the stage unit 2520 in the center role device 2500 of the game board 5 constitutes the bottom surface of the stage 2518 as a circulation area in which the game ball B circulates (rolls) on the rolling surface portion 2522a, and therefore the player can be entertained by the movement of the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518. In this case, in the second member 2522, the demolding trace portion 2519 formed during molding is provided in a portion that does not hinder the circulation of the game ball B, so that the demolding trace portion 2519 does not affect the movement of the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518, and the circulation accuracy of the game ball B in the center role device 2500 (second member 2522) can be improved. Therefore, the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518 of the center device 2500 can be made to move as designed, and the game ball B can be released from the stage 2518 to the front side of the game panel 1100 with the intended probability, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that can entertain the player as intended.

In addition, players will focus their attention on the second member 2522 in order to enjoy the movement of the game ball B circulating (rolling) through the circulation area (stage 2518) of the second member 2522. However, because the demolding traces 2519 are provided in a location on the second member 2522 that is difficult to see from the front, the demolding traces 2519 can be made difficult to see by players in front of the pachinko machine 1, preventing the demolding traces 2519 from detracting from the appearance and preventing the demolding traces 2519 from causing discomfort or discomfort to players. Therefore, because the demolding traces 2519 are not noticeable on the center feature 2500, the appearance of the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) having the center feature 2500 can be improved, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, even if the player can see the demolding traces 2519 of the second member 2522, the shapes of the adjacent demolding traces 2519 are aligned, making the demolding traces 2519 appear like a pattern. Therefore, even if the demolding traces 2519 are visible, the appearance of the center role 2500 (second member 2522) is not diminished, and the player does not feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

[8-8c-4d. Summary D]
(Background of technical features)
Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, have a frame-shaped center device on a game board through which game balls flow, and a stage on the center device that rolls the game balls left and right and then releases them onto the front side of the game board (for example, Patent Document: JP 2021-13673 A). This type of gaming machine allows players to enjoy the movement of the game balls rolling on the stage.

This center device is provided with a rear wall member to prevent game balls circulating through a circulation area, such as a stage, from falling backward. This rear wall member (molded product) is formed by injection molding using a mold, and traces remain of the molded product being pushed out to remove it from the mold after injection molding. Therefore, depending on the location of the demolding traces on the rear wall member, the demolding traces may appear to overlap with the game balls, which could cause a sense of incongruity or discomfort in the movement of the game balls.

The following solution takes into consideration the above situation and aims to provide a gaming machine that makes it easier to see the game balls circulating in the center gadget.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a center gimmick attached to the opening edge of the gaming board,
The center accessory is
A rear wall member is provided which constitutes the rear surface and the upper surface of the circulation area through which the game balls circulate;
The rear wall member has a mold removal trace portion provided outside the flow area.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "center gadget" may be one that has a frame-shaped center frame that runs along the edge of the opening of the game board, or one that is divided into multiple units (e.g., stage units, attacca units, etc.) in a direction that runs along the edge of the opening of the game board.

In addition, examples of the "circulation area" through which game balls circulate include "a stage where game balls can roll left and right and be released to the front side of the game board," and "a warp passage that guides game balls from a predetermined position on the periphery of the center device to the stage."

Examples of a "rear wall member" include "something that is attached to a front member (first member) that is attached to the play board," "something that is attached to a front member (first member) that is attached to the play board, and that sandwiches a bottom wall member (second member) that forms the bottom surface of the flow area between it and the front member," and "something that is attached to the play board itself."

Furthermore, "demolding traces" are traces left on a molded product by mechanisms used to remove the molded product from the molding die (metal mold) (e.g., ejector pins, push-up cores, straight-up cores, ejection cores, etc.), and are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to other areas. Possible shapes of these "demolding traces" include "semicircular or similar shapes," "circular," "triangular," "square," "pentagonal," "hexagonal," "polygonal," "irregular shape," "star-shaped," "heart-shaped," etc.

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a center device attached to the edge of the opening of the gaming board, the center device having a rear wall member that forms the rear and upper surfaces of a circulation area through which gaming balls circulate, and the rear wall member having a demolding trace portion below the circulation area (see chapter [8-8c-2. Demolding Trace Portion] in [Embodiment of the Invention], the demolding trace portion 2519, the third member 2523 of the stage unit 2520, the circulation area 2523i, Figures 99, 102, and 103, etc.).

As a result, the center device is provided with a circulation area, such as a stage or warp passage, through which game balls circulate, and the rear wall member of the center device forms the rear and upper surfaces of the circulation area, so game balls circulating in the circulation area will not fall out rearward or upward, and players can enjoy the movement of the game balls circulating (rolling) in the circulation area. In this case, the demolding traces formed during molding on the rear wall member are located outside the circulation area through which game balls circulate, so the demolding traces do not appear to overlap with the game balls circulating in the circulation area, making it easier for players to see the game balls circulating in the circulation area. Therefore, the movement of the game balls circulating in the circulation area does not cause any sense of incongruity or discomfort, and players can enjoy the movement of the game balls.

In addition, because the demolding traces are located on the rear wall member outside the circulation area, game balls circulating in the circulation area do not come into contact with the demolding traces. This means that the demolding traces do not impede the circulation of game balls, improving the circulation accuracy of game balls in the center device. This means that game balls circulating in the center device can be made to move as designed, providing a gaming machine that allows players to enjoy the game as intended.

It is desirable to locate the demolding traces in a location that is difficult to see from the front. This will draw players' attention to the rear wall member in order to enjoy the movement of the game balls circulating in the circulation area of the rear wall member. However, because the demolding traces are located in a location on the rear wall member that is difficult to see from the front, the demolding traces are difficult to see for players in front of the gaming machine, preventing the demolding traces from spoiling the appearance and preventing the demolding traces from causing players a sense of incongruity or discomfort. Therefore, by making the demolding traces inconspicuous on the center device (rear wall member), the appearance of the gaming board (gaming machine) that includes the center device can be improved, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

It is also desirable to align the shapes of adjacent demolding traces. This makes it possible for the shape of adjacent demolding traces to be similar to a pattern, even if the demolding traces on the rear wall member are visible to the player. This ensures that the appearance of the center role is not diminished even if the demolding traces are visible, and that the player does not feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The demolding traces are located in a position that is difficult to see from the front."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "areas that are difficult to see from the front" include "the rear surface of a plate-shaped portion whose plate surface faces in the front-to-rear direction," "areas that overlap in the front-to-rear direction with other components provided in the front (e.g., first component, second component, decorative sticker, etc.)," "areas on the front of a plate-shaped portion whose plate surface faces in the front-to-rear direction that overlap in the front-to-rear direction with other components provided in the front," and "end surfaces of a plate-shaped portion whose plate surface faces in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction."

However, if the removal traces are visible to the player, the appearance of the rear wall member (center role) will be poor, which may cause the player to feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

In the configuration of Means 2, the demolding trace portion is located in a position that is difficult to see from the front (see the description of the demolding trace portion 2519, the third member 2523, Figures 102 and 103, etc. in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, players will be drawn to the rear wall member in order to enjoy the movement of the game balls circulating through the circulation area of the rear wall member. However, because the demolding traces are located in an area of the rear wall member that is difficult to see from the front, the demolding traces are difficult to see for players in front of the gaming machine, preventing the demolding traces from spoiling the appearance and preventing the demolding traces from causing players a sense of incongruity or discomfort. Therefore, because the demolding traces are not noticeable on the center feature (rear wall member), the appearance of the gaming board (gaming machine) that includes this center feature can be improved, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

It is desirable to align the shapes of adjacent demolding traces. This makes it possible for the player to perceive the demolding traces of the rear wall member as a pattern, even if they are visible to the player. Therefore, even if the demolding traces are visible, the appearance of the center role-playing device is not diminished, and the player does not feel uncomfortable or uncomfortable.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that makes it easier to see the game balls circulating in the center device.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The game panel 1100 on the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solution means, the center gimmick 2500 and stage unit 2520 in this embodiment correspond to the center gimmick of the above-mentioned solution means, the third member 2523 of the stage unit 2520 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear wall member of the above-mentioned solution means, and the demolding trace portion 2519 in this embodiment corresponds to the demolding trace portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

In addition, the warp passage 2516, stage 2518, sphere passage section 2523d, and flow area 2523i in this embodiment correspond to the flow area of the above-mentioned solution means, the front surface of the rear wall section 2523a of the third member 2523 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear surface of the above-mentioned solution means, and the lower surface of the upper wall section 2523b of the third member 2523 in this embodiment corresponds to the upper surface of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of technical features)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the center device 2500 of the game board 5 is provided with a circulation area 2523i through which game balls B circulate, such as a stage 2518 and a warp passage 2516, and the rear wall portion 2523a and the upper wall portion 2523b of the third member 2523 of the center device 2500 (stage unit 2520) form the rear and upper surfaces of the circulation area 2523i, so that the game balls B circulating in the circulation area 2523i do not fall backward or upward, and the player can be entertained by the movement of the game balls B circulating (rolling) in the circulation area 2523i. In this case, in the third member 2523, the demolding trace portion 2519 formed during molding is provided outside the circulation area 2523i through which the game balls B circulate, so that the demolding trace portion 2519 does not appear to overlap with the game balls B circulating in the circulation area 2523i, making it easier for the player to see the game balls B circulating in the circulation area 2523i. Therefore, the movement of the game balls B circulating in the circulation area 2523i does not cause any sense of incongruity or discomfort, and the player can enjoy the movement of the game balls B.

Furthermore, because the demolding trace portion 2519 is located in a portion of the third member 2523 outside the circulation area 2523i, game balls B circulating in the circulation area 2523i do not come into contact with the demolding trace portion 2519. This means that the demolding trace portion 2519 does not impede the circulation of game balls B, improving the circulation accuracy of game balls B in the center device 2500. Therefore, game balls B circulating in the center device 2500 can be made to move as designed, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that allows players to enjoy themselves as intended.

Furthermore, in order to enjoy the movement of the game ball B circulating through the circulation area 2523i of the third member 2523, the player will focus on the third member 2523. However, because the third member 2523 has the demolding trace portion 2519 in a location that is difficult to see from the front, the demolding trace portion 2519 can be made difficult to see by players in front of the pachinko machine 1, preventing the demolding trace portion 2519 from deteriorating the appearance and preventing the demolding trace portion 2519 from causing discomfort or annoyance to the player. Therefore, because the demolding trace portion 2519 is not noticeable on the center feature 2500 (third member 2523), the appearance of the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1) having the center feature 2500 can be improved, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, even if the player can see the demolding traces 2519 of the third member 2523, the shapes of the adjacent demolding traces 2519 are aligned, making the demolding traces 2519 appear like a pattern. Therefore, even if the demolding traces 2519 are visible, the appearance of the center role-playing device 2500 (third member 2523) is not diminished, and the player does not feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

[8-8c-4e. Summary E]
(Background of technical features)
Gaming machines such as pachinko machines are provided with a frame-shaped center frame having a protruding wall portion that protrudes forward from the front of the gaming board through which gaming balls flow. The protruding wall portion prevents gaming balls from entering the frame, and also forms an area outside the frame through which gaming balls flow, allowing players to enjoy watching the movement of the gaming balls (for example, Patent Document: JP 2021-13673 A).

However, this type of gaming machine has a similar center frame shape regardless of the model or manufacturer, making them all uniform and making it difficult to differentiate from other gaming machines using only the center frame.

The following solution takes into account the above situation and aims to provide a gaming machine equipped with a center frame that can increase its appeal to players.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a center frame attached to the opening edge of the gaming board,
The center frame is
A protruding wall portion protruding forward from the front surface of the play board is provided,
A demolding trace portion is provided on the front end surface of the protruding wall portion.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "center frame" refers to the part that constitutes the center gadget, and may be a frame-shaped part that follows the edge of the opening of the game board, or it may be divided into multiple parts in a direction that follows the edge of the opening of the game board. Furthermore, the "center frame" may be made up of a single member, or it may be made up of multiple members.

Furthermore, examples of "protruding wall portions" include "those that protrude forward from the front surface of the game board by a distance longer than the radius (or diameter) of the game ball" and "those that protrude forward from the front surface of the game board by a distance similar to the front end of the obstacle nails embedded in the game board."

Furthermore, "demolding traces" are traces left on a molded product by mechanisms used to remove the molded product from the molding die (metal mold) (e.g., ejector pins, push-up cores, straight-up cores, ejection cores, etc.), and are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to other areas. Possible shapes of these "demolding traces" include "semicircular or similar shapes," "circular," "triangular," "square," "pentagonal," "hexagonal," "polygonal," "irregular shape," "star-shaped," "heart-shaped," etc.

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a center frame attached to the edge of the opening of the gaming board, the center frame having a protruding wall that protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the gaming board, and a demolding trace portion provided on the front end surface of the protruding wall (see chapter [8-8c-2c. Demolding Trace Portion of Forward Protruding Portion] in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention], the demolding trace portion 2519, the center frame 2510, the forward protruding portion 2511, Figures 99 and 104, etc.).

As a result, the center frame attached to the edge of the opening of the gaming board is provided with a protruding wall that protrudes forward. This protruding wall prevents gaming balls from falling (entering) into the opening of the gaming board, and also creates an area (play area) for gaming balls to flow down in the area on the front of the gaming board outside the center frame, allowing players to enjoy the movement of gaming balls flowing down this area. Furthermore, the front end surface of the protruding wall of the center frame is provided with demolding traces formed during molding of the center frame (molded product). The visible demolding traces make the center frame stand out and attract the player's attention to the center frame. Therefore, the demolding traces on the front end surface of the protruding wall of the center frame make players realize that a completely different center frame from conventional ones has been installed, strongly attracting the player's attention, resulting in a gaming machine with high player appeal.

In addition, because the demolding traces have a different shape compared to the other parts of the center frame, when light from the LCD display or LEDs located at the rear hits them, they will shine differently than the other parts. This makes the demolding traces stand out on the front end face of the protruding wall part of the center frame by shining a different light than the other parts, which strongly attracts the player's attention, and the glow from the demolding traces makes the center frame look beautiful.

The protruding wall may have a partition that divides the playing area through which the game balls flow into two, but the front end surface of that partition may not have any demolding traces. This means that the front end surface of the partition that divides the playing area into two of the protruding wall of the center frame does not have any demolding traces, making it possible for the player to recognize that the partition is a different part from the part of the protruding wall where the demolding traces are located, and thus making it possible for the player to recognize that the partition is not part of the frame and that the playing area 5a is divided into left and right halves.

Furthermore, if no demolding traces are provided on the front end surface of the partition as described above, the partition will be less noticeable than the area on the protruding wall where demolding traces are provided, making it difficult to notice the presence of the partition, and giving the player the illusion that game balls can move back and forth across the partition.

It is also desirable to align the shapes of adjacent demolding traces. This allows the demolding traces on the front end surfaces of the protruding wall portions of the center frame to look like patterns, improving the appearance of the center frame.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The protruding wall portion is
It has a partition that divides the playing area through which the game balls circulate into two, and the front end surface of the partition does not have the above-mentioned demolding trace portion.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "partition" refers to "a portion extending vertically at the end (e.g., the right end) of the stage located within the center frame," "a portion extending downward from the center frame," "a portion on the left or right side of the center frame that partitions multiple ball passages," etc.

According to the configuration of Means 2, the protruding wall portion has a partition portion that divides the game area through which game balls circulate into two, and the front end surface of the partition portion does not have any demolding traces (see the description of partition portion 2511a of forward protruding portion 2511 in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, the front end surface of the partition section of the protruding wall of the center frame that divides the play area into two does not have any demolding traces, allowing the player to recognize that this partition section is a different part from the part of the protruding wall where the demolding traces are located, and therefore allows the player to recognize that the partition section is not a part that makes up the frame, and that the play area 5a is divided into left and right halves.

Alternatively, because the front end surface of the partition does not have any demolding traces, the partition is less noticeable than the area on the protruding wall where demolding traces are provided, making it difficult to notice the presence of the partition, and giving the player the illusion that game balls can move back and forth across the partition.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine equipped with a center frame that can increase its appeal to players.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The game panel 1100 on the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solution means, the center frame 2510 of the center role 2500 and the first member 2521 of the stage unit 2520 in this embodiment correspond to the center frame of the above-mentioned solution means, the forward protrusion 2511 of the center frame 2510 and the upper wall portion 2523b of the third member 2523 in this embodiment correspond to the protruding wall portion of the above-mentioned solution means, and the partition portion 2511a of the forward protrusion 2511 in this embodiment corresponds to the partition portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of technical features)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a forward protruding portion 2511 that protrudes forward is provided on the center frame 2510 of the center device 2500 that is attached to the inner peripheral edge of the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 in the game board 5, so that the forward protruding portion 2511 can prevent the game ball B from falling out (entering) into the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100, and a game area 5a into which the game ball B flows down can be formed in a part on the front surface of the game panel 1100 outside the center frame 2510, so that the player can be entertained by the movement of the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a. Furthermore, the forward protruding portion 2511 of the center frame 2510 and the front end surface of the upper wall portion 2523b of the third member 2523 are provided with demolding traces 2519 formed during molding of the center frame 2510 (molded product), etc., so that the visible demolding traces 2519 make the center frame 2510 stand out and attract the player's attention to the center frame 2510. Therefore, the demolding traces 2519 provided on the front end surfaces of the forward protruding portion 2511, etc. of the center frame 2510 make the player recognize that a center frame 2510 that is completely different from conventional ones is provided, strongly attracting the player's attention, and a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players can be provided.

In addition, because the demolding trace portion 2519 has a different shape compared to the other portions of the center frame 2510, when light from the effect display device 1600 or LEDs located at the rear hits it, it will shine differently from the other portions. As a result, the demolding trace portion 2519 stands out on the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511 of the center frame 2510 by shining a different light from the other portions, which can strongly attract the player's attention, and the glow from the demolding trace portion 2519 makes the center frame 2510 look beautiful.

Furthermore, the forward protruding portion 2511 has a partition 2511a that divides the play area 5a through which the game ball B circulates into two, and the front end surface of the partition 2511a does not have a demolding trace 2519. This allows the player to recognize that the partition 2511a is a different part from the part of the forward protruding portion 2511 where the demolding trace 2519 is provided, and therefore the player can recognize that the partition 2511a is not a part that forms a frame, and can recognize that the play area 5a is divided into left and right.

Alternatively, since the front end surface of the partition 2511a does not have a demolding trace portion 2519, the partition 2511a is less noticeable than the portion of the forward protrusion 2511 where the demolding trace portion 2519 is provided or the upper wall portion 2523b, making it difficult to notice the presence of the partition 2511a and giving the player the illusion that the game ball B can move back and forth across the partition 2511a.

In addition, since the shapes of adjacent demolding traces 2519 are aligned, the demolding traces 2519 on the front end surface of the forward protrusion 2511 of the center frame 2510 can be made to look like a pattern, improving the appearance of the center frame 2510.

[8-8c-4f. Summary F]
(Background of technical features)
Among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there is known a type in which a stage is provided in a frame-shaped center device attached to a gaming board through which gaming balls flow in front, where the gaming balls roll left and right and are then released onto the front side of the gaming board (for example, Patent Document: JP 2021-13673 A). In this type of gaming machine, players can enjoy the game depending on whether the gaming balls rolling on the stage are released from a desired location on the stage.

However, in conventional gaming machines, game balls are released from one of several predetermined locations (e.g., three locations) on the stage of the center role device, which means that the movement of the game ball on the center role device can easily become monotonous, and there is a risk that some players will tire of the movement of the game ball and lose interest.

The following solution aims to provide a gaming machine that allows players to enjoy the movement of the game ball in the center device, preventing a decline in player interest.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a center gimmick attached to the opening edge of the gaming board,
The center accessory is
The game machine includes a mounting plate portion that contacts the front surface of the game board, and a front wall plate portion that is provided in front of the rolling surface on which the game ball rolls,
The mounting plate portion is provided with a front inclined portion that is inclined so as to move rearward as it approaches the tip, and the front wall plate portion is provided with a back inclined portion that is inclined so as to move forward as it approaches the tip.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "center gambling device" may be a frame-shaped device that fits along the edge of the opening of the game board, or it may be divided into multiple parts in a direction that fits along the edge of the opening of the game board. Furthermore, the "center gambling device" may be made up of a single component, or it may be made up of multiple components (units).

Furthermore, the relationship between the mounting plate portion and the front wall plate portion may be such that the mounting plate portion and the front wall plate portion are formed integrally, or the mounting plate portion and the front wall plate portion may be formed separately.

According to the configuration of the first aspect, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board having a center device attached to the edge of the opening of the gaming board. The center device comprises a mounting plate that abuts against the front surface of the gaming board and a front wall plate that is located in front of the rolling surface on which the gaming ball rolls. The mounting plate has a front inclined portion that slopes rearward toward the tip, and the front wall plate has a back inclined portion that slopes forward toward the tip. (In the [Embodiment of the Invention], see chapters [8-8c-1. Stage Unit] and [8-8c-3. Second Embodiment of Stage Unit], and the descriptions of stage unit 2520, stage unit 2520A, front inclined portion 2521c, back inclined portion 2522e, Figures 98 and 109, etc.)

As a result, players can enjoy the movement of the gaming ball as it rolls on the rolling surface provided on the center device. At this time, the front wall plate provided in front of the rolling surface has a rear inclined portion that slopes so that the gaming ball moves more forward as it approaches the tip. Therefore, when the gaming ball rolling on the rolling surface hits the rear surface of the front wall plate, depending on the momentum of the gaming ball, it may climb the rear inclined portion, go over the front wall plate, and spill forward from the rolling surface. Therefore, the gaming ball may spill forward over the front wall plate from an unexpected part of the rolling surface, surprising players and allowing them to enjoy the movement of the gaming ball, preventing a decline in interest. Additionally, the game ball that flows down the left side of the center device on the front of the game board rolls along the so-called guide nails toward the first starting hole, but if the game ball bounces upward due to an obstacle nail such as a guide nail, its movement is not hindered and it behaves naturally because the upper mounting plate has a sloped surface.

In addition, because the center gimmick has a sloped surface at the tip of the mounting plate, the game ball hits the surface of the sloped surface and does not hit the corners at the tip of the mounting plate, preventing the mounting plate from chipping or cracking.

In addition, the front wall panel of the center device has a sloped back, making it easier to hook your fingers when removing the center device from the game board because the tip of the front wall panel is thin, making it easier to remove the center device.

It is desirable that the center device have a front inclined portion below the back inclined portion. This allows for a mounting plate with a front inclined portion to be provided below the back inclined portion. Therefore, when a game ball rolling on the rolling surface spills forward over the front wall plate due to the back inclined portion, it will always flow (roll) down the front of the mounting plate, then roll down the front inclined portion and be delivered to the front side of the game board, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, if an upper wall portion is provided above the rear inclined portion of the front wall plate, it is desirable to provide a space between the front wall plate and the upper wall portion through which the gaming ball can pass. This ensures that when a gaming ball rolling on the rolling surface is guided upward by the rear inclined portion and attempts to climb over the front wall plate, the gaming ball can pass between the front wall plate and the upper wall portion and spill forward, providing a gaming machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, if an upper wall is provided above the front wall with a space that allows game balls to pass through, when removing the center device from the game board, it is possible to insert a finger between the front wall and the upper wall and pull. In this case, since the front wall has a back slope at its tip, the tip of the front wall is thin, making it easy to insert a finger between the front wall and the upper member, and it is possible to hook a finger on the tip of the front wall and pull it easily, making the removal of the center device easy.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The front inclined portion is provided below the back inclined portion."
It is characterized by being something.

In the configuration of Means 2, a front inclined portion is provided below the back inclined portion (see the description of front inclined portion 2521c, back inclined portion 2522e, Figures 98 and 109, etc. in the [Description of the Preferred Embodiments]).

As a result, a mounting plate with a front inclined portion is provided below the rear inclined portion. When a game ball rolling on the rolling surface is released forward over the front wall plate by the rear inclined portion, it always flows (rolls) down the front of the mounting plate, then rolls up the front inclined portion and is delivered to the front side of the game board, providing a gaming machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that allows players to enjoy the movement of the gaming ball in the center role and prevents a decline in player interest.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The game panel 1100 on the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solution means, the center gimmick 2500, stage unit 2520 and stage unit 2520A in this embodiment correspond to the center gimmick of the above-mentioned solution means, the flange portion 2512 of the center frame 2510 in this embodiment corresponds to the mounting plate portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the stage 2518 and the rolling surface portion 2522a of the second member 2522 in this embodiment correspond to the rolling surface of the above-mentioned solution means, the front inclined portion 2521c of the first member 2521 in this embodiment corresponds to the front inclined portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the front wall plate portion 2522b of the second member 2522 in this embodiment corresponds to the front wall plate portion of the above-mentioned solution means, and the back inclined portion 2522e of the second member 2522 in this embodiment corresponds to the back inclined portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of technical features)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game ball B rolls on the stage 2518, which serves as a rolling surface provided on the center device 2500 of the game board 5, allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B. At this time, the front wall plate portion 2522b of the second member 2522 provided in front of the stage 2518 is provided with a rear inclined portion 2522e that is inclined so that the game ball B moves more forward as it approaches the tip. Therefore, when the game ball B rolling on the stage 2518 abuts the rear surface of the front wall plate portion 2522b, depending on the momentum of the game ball B, it will climb the rear inclined portion 2522e, go over the front wall plate portion 2522b, and spill forward from the stage 2518. Therefore, the game ball B will jump over the front wall plate portion 2522b from an unexpected part of the stage 2518 and spill forward, surprising the player and allowing them to enjoy the movement of the game ball B, thereby preventing a decline in interest. Furthermore, the game ball B flowing down the left side of the center device 2500 on the front of the game panel 1100 rolls along the so-called guide nails toward the first starting hole 2002 provided below the center device 2500, but when the game ball B bounces upward due to the obstacle nails N such as the guide nails, its movement is not hindered and it behaves naturally because the upper flange portion 2512 has a front inclined portion 2521c.

In addition, since a front inclined portion 2521c is provided at the tip of the flange portion 2512 of the center device 2500, the game ball B hits the surface of the front inclined portion 2521c and does not hit the corner of the tip of the flange portion 2512, so the flange portion 2512 will not chip or crack.

In addition, a space through which the game ball B can pass is provided between the area where the rear inclined portion 2522e is provided on the front wall plate portion 2522b and the upper wall portion 2523b of the third member 2523 provided above it, so the game ball B can pass between the front wall plate portion 2522b and the upper wall portion 2523b and reliably spill forward.

In addition, because a space is provided between the front wall panel 2522b and the upper wall section 2523b that allows the game ball B to pass through, when removing the center role device 2500 (stage unit 2520, stage unit 2520A) from the game panel 1100, it is possible to insert a finger between the front wall panel 2522b and the upper wall section 2523b and pull. In this case, since the front wall panel 2522b has a back slope 2522e at its tip, the tip of the front wall panel 2522b is thin, making it easy to insert a finger between the front wall panel 2522b and the upper wall section 2523b. This allows a finger to be hooked on the tip of the front wall panel 2522b and pulled easily, facilitating the removal of the center role device.

[8-8c-5. First Attacker Unit]
Next, the first attacca unit 2530 in the center role 2500 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 85, 92, and 93. The first attacca unit 2530 constitutes the upper right corner of the center role. The first attacca unit 2530 has a part of the center frame 2510, just like the stage unit 2520. This first attacker unit 2530 has a first large prize opening 2005 that opens and closes to accept game ball B depending on the lottery results, such as a first special pattern drawn when game ball B enters the first starting opening 2002 or a second special pattern drawn when game ball B enters the second starting opening 2004, a first large prize opening sensor 2503 that detects game ball B that has entered the first large prize opening 2005, a first large prize opening door 2531 that allows the first large prize opening 2005 to be opened and closed, and a first attacker solenoid 2532 that moves the first large prize opening door 2531 back and forth.

The first large prize opening door 2531 is a flat plate with its surface facing up and down and extending left and right. This first large prize opening door 2531 is movable forward and backward; when in the forward position, it prevents game ball B from entering the first large prize opening 2005, and when in the backward position, it allows game ball B to enter the first large prize opening 2005.

The first attacca solenoid 2532 moves the first main prize opening door 2531 forward and backward in response to the results of a lottery, such as a first special symbol drawn by a ball entering the first starting opening 2002, or a second special symbol drawn by a ball entering the second starting opening 2004, thereby opening and closing the first main prize opening 2005. When the first attacca solenoid 2532 is not energized, the first main prize opening door 2531 moves forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), closing the first main prize opening 2005.

This first attacker unit 2530 guides the game ball B that enters the first large prize opening 2005 and is detected by the first large prize opening sensor 2503 rearward, and hands it over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. The game ball B handed over from the first attacker unit 2530 passes through the rear ball guide unit 3100 and is discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulating ball path unit 600 in the main frame 4. On the other hand, game balls B that do not enter the first large prize opening 2005 are released into the gate unit 2540 located below.

[8-8c-6. Gate unit]
Next, the gate unit 2540 in the center role 2500 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 85, 92, 93, etc. The gate unit 2540 constitutes the central portion in the vertical direction of the right side of the center role 2500. The first attacca unit 2530 is provided above the gate unit 2540, and the second attacca unit 2550 is provided below the gate unit 2540. In other words, the gate unit 2540 is provided between the first attacca unit 2530 and the second attacca unit 2550.

The gate unit 2540, like the stage unit 2520, has a part of the center frame 2510. The gate unit 2540 has a gate 2003 through which game ball B can pass, a normal winning opening 2011 that is always open to receive game ball B, a second starting opening 2004 that opens and closes depending on the result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn when game ball B passes through the gate 2003 or when game ball B enters the normal winning opening 2011, and a sub-out opening 2023 that ejects the entered game ball B outside the game area 5a.

The gate unit 2540 also includes a gate sensor 2501 that detects the passage of game ball B through gate 2003, a second start port sensor 2502 that detects game ball B that has entered second start port 2004, a second start port door 2541 that enables second start port 2004 to be opened and closed, and a start port solenoid 2542 that moves second start port door 2541 back and forth. The second start port 2004 is located directly below gate 2003.

The second starting gate door 2541 is flat with its surface facing up and down and extends left and right. The second starting gate door 2541 is movable forward and backward, and when in the forward position, it allows game ball B to enter the second starting gate 2004, and when in the backward position, it prevents game ball B from entering the second starting gate 2004.

The starting port solenoid 2542 moves the second starting port door 2541 back and forth to open and close the second starting port 2004 in accordance with the results of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2003 and the normal symbol drawn when game ball B enters normal winning port 2011. When this starting port solenoid 2542 is not energized, the second starting port door 2541 moves back due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), preventing balls from entering the second starting port 2004 (closing it).

The gate unit 2540 guides a game ball B that has entered the second start port 2004 and been detected by the second start port sensor 2502 rearward and hands it over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. A game ball B that has been detected by the second start port sensor 2502 and handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 passes through the rear ball guiding unit 3100 and is discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulating ball path unit 600 in the main body frame 4. The gate unit 2540 also guides a game ball B that has entered the normal winning port 2011 rearward and hands it over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. Game ball B that enters the normal winning opening 2011 and is handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 is detected by the normal winning opening sensor 3003, and then passes through the back ball guide unit 3100 and is discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulating ball path unit 600 in the main body frame 4.

The gate unit 2540 also guides the game ball B that has entered the sub-outlet 2023 rearward and hands it over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. The game ball B that has entered the sub-outlet 2023 and been handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 passes through the back ball guiding unit 3100 and is discharged into the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulating ball path unit 600 in the main frame 4.

Meanwhile, in the gate unit 2540, game ball B that does not enter the second starting hole 2004, the normal winning hole 2011, or the sub-out hole 2023 is guided downward and released into the second attacker unit 2550 located below.

[8-8c-7. Second Attacker Unit]
Next, the second attacca unit 2550 in the center role 2500 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 85, 92, 93, etc. The second attacca unit 2550 constitutes the lower right corner of the center role 2500, and is adjacent to the stage unit 2520 on the left side and the gate unit 2540 on the upper side.

The second attacca unit 2550 has a part of the center frame 2510, similar to the stage unit 2520. The second attacca unit 2550 has one general winning opening 2001, a second large winning opening 2006 that opens and closes to accept game ball B depending on the lottery results, such as a first special symbol drawn when game ball B enters the first starting opening 2002 or a second special symbol drawn when game ball B enters the second starting opening 2004, and two sub-out openings 2023.

This second attacca unit 2550 has a second large prize opening sensor 2504 that detects game ball B that has entered the second large prize opening 2006, a second large prize opening door 2551 that allows the second large prize opening 2006 to be opened and closed, and a second attacca solenoid 2552 that moves the second large prize opening door 2551 back and forth.

The second large prize opening door 2551 is a flat plate with its surface facing up and down and extending left and right. This second large prize opening door 2551 is movable forward and backward; when in the forward position, it prevents game ball B from entering the second large prize opening 2006, and when in the backward position, it allows game ball B to enter the second large prize opening 2006.

The second attacca solenoid 2552 moves the second large prize opening door 2551 forward and backward to open and close the second large prize opening 2006 in accordance with the results of a lottery, such as the first special symbol drawn by a ball entering the first starting opening 2002, or the second special symbol drawn by a ball entering the second starting opening 2004. When the second attacca solenoid 2552 is not energized, the second large prize opening door 2551 moves forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), closing the second large prize opening 2006.

This second attacker unit 2550 guides game ball B that enters the general winning opening 2001 rearward and hands it over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. Game ball B that enters the general winning opening 2001 and is handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001, and then passes through the rear ball guiding unit 3100 and is discharged to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulating ball path unit 600 in the main body frame 4. Game ball B that enters the second large winning opening 2006 and is detected by the second large winning opening sensor 2504 is guided rearward and hands it over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. Game ball B that enters the second large winning opening 2006 and is handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 passes through the back ball guide unit 3100 and is discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulating ball path unit 600 in the main body frame 4.

The second attacker unit 2550 also guides the game ball B that has entered the sub-out port 2023 rearward and hands it over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. The game ball B that has entered the sub-out port 2023 and been handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 passes through the back ball guiding unit 3100 and is discharged into the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulating ball path unit 600 in the main frame 4.

On the other hand, in the second attacker unit 2550, game ball B that does not enter any of the general winning slots 2001, second large winning slots 2006, or sub-out slots 2023 is released into the game area 5a to the left of the second attacker unit 2550, but is received by the out slot 1008 without entering any of the winning slots of other units and is then ejected outside the game area 5a.

[8-8c-8. Center upper left unit]
Next, the center upper left unit 2560 in the center role device 2500 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 85, 92, and 93. The center upper left unit 2560 constitutes the upper edge portion and the upper left edge portion of the frame-shaped center role device 2500, and is provided so as to connect the upper left end of the stage unit 2520 and the upper end of the first attacca unit 2530.

This center upper left unit 2560, like the stage unit 2520, has part of the center frame 2510.

[8-9. Flow of game balls within the game area]
Next, the flow of the game ball B within the game area 5a will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 85 etc. When assembled on the game board 5, the center device 2500 is located approximately in the center of the game area 5a. Although not shown, within the game area 5a, a plurality of obstacle nails are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on the outer left and lower parts of the center device 2500 and on the part above the normal winning opening 2011 of the gate unit 2540. In addition, to the left of the center device 2500 and above the left end of the side unit 2200, a windmill (not shown) that rotates when the game ball B comes into contact with it is provided.

Game ball B that is shot into the left side of the center device 2500 is guided by coming into contact with multiple obstacle nails N, and there is a certain probability that it will enter the warp entrance 2515. Game ball B that enters the warp entrance 2515 passes through the warp passage 2516 and is released to the right from the warp exit 2517 located within the frame of the center device 2500, where it is decelerated by coming into contact with multiple protrusions 2522d of the second member 2522 and is supplied to the stage 2518.

The game ball B supplied to the stage 2518 rolls left and right on the stage 2518 and is released from either the central release section 2518a or the side release section 2518b so as to return to the game area 5a. The central release section 2518a of the stage 2518 is located directly above the first starting opening 2002 in the left-right center of the game area 5a, so there is a high probability that the game ball B released from the central release section 2518a will be received by the first starting opening 2002. The game ball B released from the side release sections 2518b on either side of the central release section 2518a will be received by the first starting opening 2002 with a certain degree of probability.

A game ball B received by the first start opening 2002 is guided toward the rear of the game panel 1100 and handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. After entering the first start opening 2002 and being handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100, the game ball B is detected by the first start opening sensor 3002 and then discharged from the back ball guiding unit 3100 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When the game ball B is detected by the first start opening sensor 3002, a bonus of a predetermined number of game balls B is awarded, and a lottery is held for a first special symbol that can create an advantageous game state for the player when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved first special symbols is less than four). The drawn first special symbol is also referred to as the first special lottery result.

Game balls B that are released from stage 2518 and are not received by the first starting port 2002 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 entrance 2515, 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 2002 or the general winning opening 2001 or sub-out opening 2023 provided in the side unit 2200. A game ball B that flows to the right of the center of the windmill may also be accepted by the general winning opening 2001 or sub-out opening 2023 provided in the side unit 2200. A game ball B that is not accepted by the first starting opening 2002, general winning opening 2001, or sub-out opening 2023 is accepted by the out opening 1008 and discharged outside the game area 5a.

A game ball B received by the general winning opening 2001 provided in the side unit 2200 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. This game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When a game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001, a bonus of a predetermined number of game balls B is awarded.

On the other hand, a game ball B received by the sub-outlet 2023 provided in the side unit 2200 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and discharged downward from the back ball guide unit 3100. In the side unit 2200, a game ball B that is not received by either the general winning port 2001 or the sub-outlet 2023 is received by the outlet 1008 and discharged outside the game area 5a.

Next, on the right side of the central device 2500, a long ball passage is provided running vertically, and in this ball passage, from top to bottom, there are provided the first large prize opening 2005, gate 2003, second start opening 2004, sub-out opening 2023, regular prize opening 2011, second large prize opening 2006, regular prize opening 2001, and sub-out opening 2023. On the right side of the central device 2500, multiple obstacle nails N are planted directly above each regular prize opening 2011.

When a game ball B is hit from the right into the game area 5a and enters the right side of the center device 2500, it initially rolls on the first large prize opening door 2531, which closes the first large prize opening 2005 of the first attacca unit 2530. This first large prize opening 2005 is opened by the first attacca solenoid 2532 by retracting the first large prize opening door 2531 depending on the first special symbol (first special lottery result) drawn when game ball B is received by the first starting opening 2002, or the second special symbol (second special lottery result) drawn when game 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 first large prize opening 2005 differs depending on the lottery results for the first and second special symbols.

Therefore, when game ball B comes into circulation (rolls) at the timing when first major winning opening 2005 is open, game ball B is accepted by first major winning opening 2005. As a result, when a special pattern that opens or closes first major winning opening 2005 is drawn, the player can perform a "right hit" so that game ball B flows to the right of center device 2500 in which first major winning opening 2005 is located, and so that game ball B is accepted by first major winning opening 2005.

A gaming ball B received by the first large prize opening 2005 is detected by the first large prize opening sensor 2503 located below. When the first large prize opening sensor 2503 detects a gaming ball B, a bonus of a predetermined number of gaming balls B is awarded. Furthermore, the gaming ball B detected by the first large prize opening sensor 2503 is passed to the rear ball guiding unit 3100, and is then discharged from the rear ball guiding unit 3100 into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

In the first attacker unit 2530, game ball B that is not accepted by the first large prize opening 2005 enters the gate unit 2540 located below. Gate unit 2540 is provided with, from top to bottom, gate 2003, second start opening 2004, sub-out opening 2023, and regular prize opening 2011. Therefore, in gate unit 2540, game ball B may pass through gate 2003, and may also enter second start opening 2004, regular prize opening 2011, or sub-out opening 2023. Gate 2003 is located so that game ball B can always pass through. Furthermore, regular prize opening 2011 and sub-out opening 2023 are open so that game ball B can always be accepted. Meanwhile, second start opening 2004 is normally closed and cannot be accepted.

When game ball B passes through gate 2003, it flows down toward second starting gate door 2541 located below. At this time, if game ball B is detected by gate sensor 2501 as it passes through gate 2003, and a predetermined condition is met (for example, the number of reserved normal symbols is less than four), a lottery is held for a normal symbol that will allow game ball B to be accepted into second starting gate 2004. The normal symbol drawn is also referred to as the normal lottery result.

Then, game ball B that passes through gate 2003 flows down toward the area where second starting gate door 2541 is located, but under normal conditions, second starting gate door 2541 is retracted, and game ball B does not come into contact with second starting gate door 2541. Therefore, game ball B passes directly past second starting gate door 2541 and flows down without entering second starting gate 2004.

On the other hand, when a "normal win" is drawn as a result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2003 or enters normal winning port 2011, the second starting port door 2541 moves forward by the starting port solenoid 2542, and second starting port 2004 enters an open state where it can be received. In this state, when game ball B abuts against second starting port door 2541, game ball B is guided by the second starting port door 2541 and enters second starting port 2004.

After being detected by the second start port sensor 2502, a game ball B received by the second start port 2004 is handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear 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 detected by the second start port sensor 2502, a bonus of a predetermined number of game balls B is awarded, and a lottery is held for a second special symbol that can create an advantageous game state for the player when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved second special symbols is less than four). The drawn second special symbol is also referred to as the second special lottery result.

A game ball B that passes through the second starting gate door 2541 and flows down has a predetermined probability of landing in the sub-outlet 2023 or the regular winning gate 2011. When this game ball B enters the regular winning gate 2011, it is guided backward and handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. After being detected by the regular winning gate sensor 3003, it is discharged from the back ball guiding unit 3100 into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When game ball B is detected by the regular winning gate sensor 3003, a bonus of a predetermined number of game balls B is awarded, and a lottery for a regular symbol that will allow game ball B to be accepted by the second starting gate 2004 is held if certain conditions are met (for example, if the number of reserved regular symbols is less than four).

Therefore, even if a "normal win" is not drawn as a result of the normal symbol lottery when game ball B passes through upstream gate 2003, a normal symbol lottery will be drawn when the ball enters downstream normal winning slot 2011, meaning that one game ball B has two opportunities to draw a normal symbol, providing enjoyment for the player.

On the other hand, game ball B that enters the sub-outlet 2023 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and ejected downward from the back ball guide unit 3100.

In this gate unit 2540, game ball B that does not enter the second starting hole 2004, the normal winning hole 2011, or the sub-out hole 2023 flows down from the gate unit 2540 to the second attacker unit 2550 below.

When a game ball B that flows down to the second attacker unit 2550 flows down to the second large prize entrance door 2551 side with a high probability, a game ball B that does not flow down to the second large prize entrance door 2551 side enters the sub-outlet 2023 and is discharged downward through the rear ball guide unit 3100 at the rear.

Under normal conditions, the second large prize opening door 2551 protrudes forward, closing the second large prize opening 2006. Therefore, under normal conditions, a game ball B that flows down to the second large prize opening door 2551 rolls to the left on the second large prize opening door 2551 before being released from the second attacca unit 2550 into the game area 5a. The location from which the second attacca unit 2550 releases the game ball into the game area 5a is located to the left of the first starting opening 2002 and slightly higher than the first starting opening 2002, and the ball is released downward from this location. Below this location, the general prize opening 2001 and sub-out opening 2023, which protrude to the left on the second attacca unit 2550, are located side by side, and there is a possibility that the ball will enter either one. Furthermore, game ball B that rolls to the left on the second large prize opening door 2551 and does not enter the general prize opening 2001 or sub-out opening 2023 of the second attacker unit 2550 is ejected to the outside through the out opening 1008.

The second large prize opening 2006 of the second attacca unit 2550 is opened by retracting the second large prize opening door 2551 using the second attacca solenoid 2552 in response to the first special symbol (first special lottery result) drawn when a game ball B is received by the first starting hole 2002, or the second special symbol (second special lottery result) drawn when a game ball B is received by the second starting hole 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 second large prize opening 2006 differs depending on the lottery results for the first special symbol and the second special symbol.

When game ball B comes into circulation (rolls) at the timing when second large prize opening 2006 is open, game ball B is accepted by second large prize opening 2006. As a result, when a special pattern that opens or closes second large prize opening 2006 is drawn, the player can perform a "right hit" so that game ball B flows to the right of center device 2500 in which second large prize opening 2006 is located, and so that game ball B is accepted by second large prize opening 2006.

A gaming ball B received by the second large prize opening 2006 is detected by the second large prize opening sensor 2504 located below. When the second large prize opening sensor 2504 detects a gaming ball B, a bonus of a predetermined number of gaming balls B is awarded. The gaming ball B detected by the second large prize opening sensor 2504 is handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 at the rear, and is then discharged from the rear ball guidance unit 3100 into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

In this embodiment, during the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol, in which the first large prize opening 2005 and the second large prize opening 2006 open and close to create a favorable game state in which the player has an advantage, the first start opening 2002 is always open to receive game ball B, whereas the second start opening 2004 is only able to receive game ball B in a predetermined pattern when the normal lottery, which is drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2003 or when game ball B is received by normal prize opening 2011, results in a "normal win." This makes it more likely that game ball B will be received by first start opening 2002 than by second start opening 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 it can be accepted by the first starting opening 2002. 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 accepted by the first starting opening 2002.

When game ball B is accepted into first starting opening 2002 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, first main prize opening 2005 or second main 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 opening 2500 (so-called "right hit") so that game ball B can be accepted into first main prize opening 2005 or second main prize opening 2006, and increasing the player's anticipation for game ball B to be accepted into first main prize opening 2005 or second main prize opening 2006.

Gate 2003 and normal winning opening 2011 are provided on the right side of this center device 2500, and a lottery is held to determine the normal symbol that will be accepted by second starting opening 2004 when game ball B passes through gate 2003 or enters normal winning opening 2011. Therefore, players can enjoy not only whether game ball B hit to the right side passes through gate 2003 or enters normal winning opening 2011, but also whether game ball B can be accepted by second starting opening 2004 when it becomes available.

[8-10. Back unit]
Next, the back unit 3000 in the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 83 and 84. The back unit 3000 includes a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 112) 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 first starting opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the first starting opening 2002 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, and a regular winning opening sensor 3003 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the regular winning opening 2011 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100.

The rear unit 3000 is attached to the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100 and is box-shaped with an open front. The rear wall 3010a has a square opening 3010b for attaching the effect display device 1600. It comprises a rear box 3010, a lock slider 3020 that is slidable left and right on the rear wall 3010a of the rear box 3010 for attaching and detaching the effect display device 1600, and a rear board unit 3040 that is hingedly 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 near the front end of the rear box 3010 along the bottom and right sides and guides game balls B guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and discharges them downward into the circulation ball path unit 600; a frame-shaped rear front decoration unit 3200, which is located near the front end of the rear box 3010 and is decorated with a predetermined decoration; a rear first presentation unit 3300, which is located within the rear box 3010 behind the rear ball guide unit 3100 and the rear front decoration unit 3200; and a rear second presentation unit 3400, which is located between the rear first presentation unit 3300 and the rear wall 3010a of the rear box 3010.

The rear box 3010 has an opening 3010b that is sized to correspond to the external shape of the performance display device 1600, allowing the performance display device 1600 to be inserted from the rear. The main control unit 1300 is attached to the rear surface of the rear box 3010, below the opening 3010b in the rear wall 3010a.

The rear box 3010 also has a fixing piece 3010c extending outward from the front end for attachment to the gaming panel 1100, and two fixing grooves 3010d recessed upward on the upper edge of the opening 3010b. The upper fixing pieces 1601 of the effect display device 1600 are inserted into these fixing grooves 3010d.

Furthermore, the rear box 3010 has a pivot support portion 3010e, into which the shaft portion 3041a of the rear board unit 3040 is inserted from above, on the right side (left side when viewed from behind) of the opening 3010b in the rear wall 3010a, and a locking portion 3010f, into which the locking claw 3041b of the rear board unit 3040 is locked, on the left side of the opening 3010b.

The lock slider 3020 is attached to the rear surface of the rear wall 3010a of the rear box 3010, below the opening 3010b, so that it can slide left and right. When the lock slider 3020 is slid left and right in a specified direction while the performance display device 1600 is inserted into the opening 3010b of the rear box 3010, it locks the movement of the lower fixed piece 1602 of the performance display device 1600, thereby locking the performance display device 1600 so that it does not come off the rear box 3010.

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 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 3010e 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 locking parts (not shown) of the rear box 3010.

The back ball guide unit 3100 is used to discharge game balls B guided from the front side of the game panel 1100 to the rear by the outlet 1008, start port unit 2100, side unit 2200, and center device 2500, into the circulation ball path unit 600 of the main frame 4 located below. This back ball guide unit 3100 is equipped with a general winning port sensor 3001, a first starting port sensor 3002, and a regular winning port sensor 3003.

The back ball guide unit 3100 also has an out ball guide path 3101 that guides game balls B that have entered the out port 1008 and sub-out port 2023 and discharges them into the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 located below, and a safe ball guide path 3102 that guides game balls B that have entered the general prize opening 2001, first start opening 2002, second start opening 2004, first large prize opening 2005, second large prize opening 2006, and normal prize opening 2011 and discharges them into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 located below.

The back-front decorative unit 3200 is attached near the front edge of the back box 3010 and is formed in a frame shape that fits along the inner surface of the back box 3010. The bottom and right sides of the back-front decorative unit 3200 are located behind the back ball guide unit 3100. The back-front decorative unit 3200 has a back-front upper decorative body 3210 that extends left and right along the top side of the back box 3010, and a back-front left decorative body 3220 that extends up and down along the left side of the back box 3010.

In addition, although not shown, the back-front decorative unit 3200 has a back-front upper decorative board located behind the back-front upper decorative body 3210 and with multiple LEDs mounted on the front surface, and a back-front left decorative board located behind the back-front left decorative body 3220 and with multiple LEDs mounted on the front surface. The back-front decorative unit 3200 can illuminate and decorate the back-front upper decorative body 3210 using the LEDs on the back-front upper decorative board, and can illuminate and decorate the back-front left decorative body 3220 using the LEDs on the back-front left decorative board.

Furthermore, the back front decorative unit 3200 has a magnetic sensor 1050 located near the warp entrance 2515 of the center role piece 2500 on the back front left decorative body 3220.

The rear first performance unit 3300 is located behind the rear front decorative unit 3200 within the rear box 3010. The rear first performance unit 3300 comprises a rear first base (not shown) formed in a frame shape along the inner surface of the rear box 3010 and attached to the rear second base of the rear second performance unit 3400, a rear first lifting decorative body 3310 that spans the frame of the rear first base in the left-right direction and is able to slide (lift up and down) in the up and down direction, and a circular rear first rotating decorative body 3320 that is able to rotate around an axis extending in the front-to-back direction at the center of the left-to-right direction of the rear first lifting decorative body 3310.

Although not shown in the figures, the rear first performance unit 3300 has a rear first left decorative board and a rear first right decorative board, which are located behind the rear first lifting decorative body 3310 and on both the left and right sides of the rear first rotating decorative body 3320, and each have multiple LEDs mounted on their front surface, and a rear first middle decorative board, which is located behind the rear first rotating decorative body 3320 and has multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface. The rear first performance unit 3300 can illuminate and decorate the left side of the rear first lifting decorative body 3310 using the LEDs on the rear first left decorative board, and can illuminate and decorate the right side of the rear first lifting decorative body 3310 using the LEDs on the rear first right decorative board. The rear first performance unit 3300 can also illuminate and decorate the rear first rotating decorative body 3320 using the LEDs on the rear first middle decorative board.

Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, the rear first performance unit 3300 has a rear first lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the rear first lifting decorative body 3310, and a rear first rotating mechanism for rotating the rear first rotating decorative body 3320.

This rear first performance unit 3300 can be raised and lowered by the rear first lifting mechanism between a standby position in which the rear first lifting decorative body 3310 moves to the lowest position and partially protrudes into the frame from the bottom edge of the frame-shaped center role device 2500 (see Figure 79), and a raised position in which partially protrudes into the frame from the top edge of the center role device 2500.

In addition, the rear first performance unit 3300 allows the rear first rotating decorative body to rotate around an axis extending in the front-to-back direction using the rear first rotation mechanism, regardless of the position of the rear first lifting decorative body 3310.

The rear second performance unit 3400 is located between the rear first performance unit 3300 and the rear wall 3010a of the rear box 3010, and is attached inside the rear box 3010. The rear first performance unit 3300 is attached to the front side of this rear second performance unit 3400. The rear second performance unit 3400 has a rear second base (not shown) that is frame-shaped and fits along the inner surface of the rear box 3010 and is attached to the rear box 3010, a rear second lifting decorative body 3410 that spans the frame of the rear second base in the left-right direction and is slidable (raised and lowered) in the up-down direction, and a rear rear upper decorative body 3420 that is attached along the upper edge of the rear second base. When viewed from the front, the rear rear upper decorative body 3420 is positioned so that its upper end is located higher than the lower end of the rear front upper decorative body 3210, and it partially overlaps the rear front upper decorative body 3210 in the front-to-back direction (see Figure 79, etc.).

In addition, although not shown in the figure, the rear second performance unit 3400 has a rear second decorative board located behind the rear second lifting decorative body 3410 and with multiple LEDs mounted on the front, and a rear second lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the rear second lifting decorative body 3410.

The rear second performance unit 3400 can illuminate and decorate the rear second lifting decorative body 3410 using the LEDs on the rear second decorative board. Furthermore, the rear second performance unit 3400 can use the rear second lifting mechanism to raise and lower the rear second lifting decorative body 3410 behind the rear first lifting decorative body 3310 between a standby position (see Figure 110) in which the rear second lifting decorative body 3410 moves to the lowest position behind the frame-shaped center role device 2500 and a portion of it protrudes into the frame from the bottom edge of the center role device 2500, and a raised position in which it protrudes into the frame from the top edge of the center role device 2500.

[8-11. Game board effects]
Next, the effects of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 79, 110, and 111. Figure 110 is a front view of the game board in a state where the rear first ascending decoration has been moved from the normal state to an intermediate position between the standby position at the bottom and the elevated position at the top. Figure 111 is a front view of the game board in a state where the rear second ascending decoration has been moved from the normal state to an intermediate position between the standby position at the bottom and the elevated position at the top.

As shown in Figure 79, etc., the game board 5 of this embodiment allows the rear unit 3000 and the display screen of the performance display device 1600, which are located at the rear, to be viewed primarily through the frame of the center role device 2500. In more detail, the rear front upper decorative body 3210 and the rear rear upper decorative body 3420 are arranged vertically and visible at the top edge within the frame of the center role device 2500. Furthermore, at the bottom edge within the frame of the center role device 2500, part of the upper part of the rear first lifting decorative body 3310 is visible. The rear second lifting decorative body 3410 is located behind the rear first lifting decorative body 3310 and is therefore not visible.

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 first performance unit 3300 of the rear unit 3000 to execute a performance (moving performance) such as that shown in FIG. 110. This performance involves raising the rear first lifting decoration 3310 from its standby position at the bottom and positioning it, for example, in the vertical center within the frame of the center role device 2500. As a result, the rear first lifting decoration 3310 is positioned in the center of the display screen of the performance display device 1600 located at the rear, surprising the player and making them think that something good is about to happen.

In addition, in the state shown in Figure 110, the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is divided into two parts, upper and lower, by the rear first rising and falling decorative body 3310, so players can be entertained by displaying different performance images on the upper and lower sides of the rear first rising and falling decorative body 3310.

In this state, rotating the rear first rotating decoration 3320 located in the center of the rear first rising and falling decoration 3310 can further surprise the player, making them believe that their chance has arrived.

Next, the gaming board 5 of this embodiment can execute an effect (moving effect) such as that shown in FIG. 111 using the rear second effect unit 3400 of the rear unit 3000. This effect raises the rear second rising and descending decoration 3410 from its standby position at the bottom and positions it, for example, in the vertical center within the frame of the center role device 2500. As a result, the rear second rising and descending decoration 3410, which was initially hidden and invisible behind the rear first rising and descending decoration 3310 in its standby position, rises and becomes visible, so the appearance of the rear second rising and descending decoration 3410 can surprise the player, making them believe that their chance has arrived and increasing their anticipation for the game.

In addition, in the state shown in Figure 111, the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is divided into two parts, upper and lower, by the rear second rising and falling decorative body 3410, so players can be entertained by displaying different performance images on the upper and lower sides of the rear second rising and falling decorative body 3410.

Although not shown in the figures, the gaming board 5 of this embodiment can execute a performance (moving performance) that combines the raising and lowering of the rear first rising and lowering decorative body 3310 and the raising and lowering of the rear second rising and lowering decorative body 3410.

[8-12. Control configuration]
Next, the control configuration for various controls of the gaming board 5 will be described with reference to Fig. 112. Fig. 112 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the gaming board. Note that Fig. 112 omits some of the electronic components such as sensors, solenoids, motors, and LEDs connected to the frame control board 740.

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.

The frame control board 740 is connected to a handle rotation sensor 163, a handle touch sensor 162, a launch stop switch 161, etc. In addition, the frame control board 740 is connected to a ball delivery solenoid 706, a launch solenoid 553, etc.

The main control board 1310 has a base monitor 1310a consisting of four 7-segment LEDs. Connected to this main control board 1310 are an out ball sensor 605 that detects out balls, a safe ball sensor 606 that detects safe balls, a regular prize opening sensor 3001, a gate sensor 2501, a regular prize opening sensor 3003, a first start opening sensor 3002, a second start opening sensor 2502, a first large prize opening sensor 2503, and a second large prize opening sensor 2504. Also connected to the main control board 1310 are a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor 1040, and the like. Furthermore, connected to the main control board 1310 are a start opening solenoid 2542, a first attacca solenoid 2532, a second attacca solenoid 2552, and the like.

In addition to the main frame speaker 503 and performance display device 1600, the peripheral control board 1510 is connected to various decorative boards, drive motors, sensors that detect movement, etc.

[9. Relationship between the game board locking member and the teaching unit 1]
Next, the relationship between the game board locking member 506 (game board locking member 1030) that disables the attachment and detachment of the game board 5 to the main frame 4 and the teaching unit 1035 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 113 to 115. Figure 113 is a front view showing the game board attached to the main frame together with the outer frame. Figure 114(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the game board locking member provided on the game board in Figure 113 in the unlocked position, and Figure 114(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the game board locking member shifted from the unlocked position in Figure 113 to the locked position. Figure 115(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the game board locking member provided on the main frame in Figure 113 in the unlocked position, and Figure 115(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the game board locking member shifted from the unlocked position in Figure 113 to the locked position.

First, the main frame 4 is provided with a game board insertion section 502, into which the game board 5 is inserted from the front, on the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500. The game board insertion section 502 is formed in the shape of a square cylindrical frame that is open in the front-to-rear directions. The lower edge of the inner surface of this game board insertion section 502 is the upper end surface of the base wall section 501b, on which the game board 5 is placed. A game board restriction section 501c that protrudes upward is provided near the center in the left-to-right direction of the upper end surface of the base wall section 501b. In addition, a lock groove 502n that is recessed to the right is provided on the right edge of the inner surface of the game board insertion section 502. Two lock grooves 502n are provided, spaced apart vertically.

The main frame base unit 500 is also provided with a fan-shaped game board locking member 506 located below the lower edge of the game board insertion portion 502 (the upper end surface of the base wall portion 501b) and to the right of the main frame speaker port 501d. The game board locking member 506 is attached to the front of the main frame base 501 so that it can rotate around an axis that extends forward and backward. More specifically, the game board locking member 506 is attached so that it can rotate between an unlocked position where the entirety is located below the upper end surface of the base wall portion 501b, and a locked position where a portion of the game board locking member 506 protrudes above the upper end surface of the base wall portion 501b.

Meanwhile, the game board 5 is equipped with two locking member holding portions 1013 spaced apart in the vertical direction near the right end of the rectangular component 1000, and a game board locking member 1030 held by each locking member holding portion 1013. The two locking member holding portions 1013 are arranged so that their vertical orientation coincides with the two locking grooves 502n in the main frame base 501. Each game board locking member 1030 is held in the locking member holding portion 1013 so that it can slide left and right. More specifically, the game board locking member 1030 is slidably positioned between an unlocked position in which the entirety is located to the left of the right end of the component 1000, and a locked position in which a portion (tip) protrudes rightward beyond the right end of the component 1000.

The game board 5 also has a locking groove 1031 near the bottom end of the component 1000. The locking groove 1031 is located in a position that coincides with the game board locking member 506 attached to the main frame base 501. The locking groove 1031 is recessed from the front to the rear of the component 1000 and is open downward.

Now, we will explain how to attach and detach the game board 5 to the main frame 4. When attaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4, first, the game board locking member 506 of the main frame 4 is set to the unlocked position, and the game board locking member 1030 of the game board 5 is set to the unlocked position. In this state, the game area 5a of the game board 5 is oriented forward, and the game board 5 is inserted from the front into the game board insertion portion 502 of the main frame 4. Then, the game board locking member 506 of the main frame 4 is rotated to the locked position, and the game board locking member 1030 of the game board 5 is slid to the locked position.

As a result, a portion of the game board locking member 506 on the main frame 4 is inserted into the locking groove 1031 on the game board 5, and the tip of the game board locking member 1030 on the game board 5 is inserted into the locking groove 502n on the main frame 4, restricting forward movement of the game board 5 and irremovably locking the game board 5 to the main frame 4. In this embodiment, the game board locking member 506 on the main frame 4 and the two game board locking members 1030 on the game board 5 firmly lock the game board 5 to the main frame 4.

To remove the game board 5 from the main frame 4, the game board 5 can be unlocked by performing the reverse of the above steps, allowing the game board 5 to be removed from the main frame 4.

In this embodiment, the game board 5 is provided with an instruction section 1035 that allows confirmation that the game board 5 is irremovably locked to the main frame 4 (see Figures 114(a) and 115(a)). The instruction section 1035 on the game board 5 consists of a circular pattern and is provided on the locking member holding section 1013 and the locking groove 1031.

The teaching unit 1035 provided on the locking member holding unit 1013 is located on the front bottom surface of the locking member holding unit 1013, to the right of the game board locking member 1030 in the unlocked position. When the game board locking member 1030 is slid to the locked position, the teaching unit 1035 overlaps the game board locking member 1030 in front of it, making it invisible from the front (see Figure 114 (b)). Furthermore, the teaching unit 1035 is positioned so as not to come into contact with the game board locking member 1030, and the teaching unit 1035 will not wear out even if the game board 5 is repeatedly attached and detached to and from the main frame 4, i.e., the locking member is repeatedly displaced between the locked and unlocked positions.

The teaching unit 1035 provided in the locking groove 1031 is located on the front bottom surface of the locking groove 1031. When the game board locking member 506 is rotated to the locked position, the teaching unit 1035 overlaps the game board locking member 506 in front of it, making it invisible from the front (see Figure 115 (b)). The teaching unit 1035 is also located so as not to come into contact with the game board locking member 506, and the teaching unit 1035 will not wear out even if the game board 5 is repeatedly attached and detached to and from the main frame 4, i.e., the locking member is repeatedly displaced between the locked and unlocked positions.

In this way, according to this embodiment, when the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4 and the game board locking member 506 and the game board locking member 1030 are changed from the unlocked position to the locked position, the instruction unit 1035, which was previously visible, is covered by the game board locking member 506 and the game board locking member 1030 and becomes invisible. As a result, the instruction unit 1035 becomes invisible, so it is clear that the game board locking member 506 and the game board locking member 1030 are in the locked position, and it can be confirmed that the game board 5 is irremovably locked to the main frame 4.

Note that while the teaching unit 1035 is shown to have a circular pattern, it is not limited to this and may be a triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, other polygon, star, diamond, heart, clover, or other shape (pattern), as well as a geometric pattern, letter, symbol, mark, specified character, logo, or other shape (pattern).

The teaching unit 1035 may be provided as a separate unit from the member on which it is provided, or may be provided integrally with the member. Examples of teaching units 1035 that are provided as separate units include those that are "applied to a sticker" or "painted." Examples of teaching units 1035 that are provided integrally include those that are "formed to have irregularities by molding" or "insert-molded."

The teaching portion 1035 formed by molding may be one in which the shape of the teaching portion is engraved in advance on the molding die, or the demolding trace portion may be used as the teaching portion. Here, the demolding trace portion refers to the extrusion trace left on the product by a mechanism (e.g., ejector pin, push-up core, direct lift core, ejection core, etc.) used to remove the product from the molding die after it has been molded using the molding die.

[9-1. Relationship between the game board locking member and the teaching unit 2]
Next, the relationship between the game board locking member 506 and the teaching unit 1035, which is different from the above, will be described in detail with reference to Figure 116. Figure 116(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the game board locking member and the teaching unit, which is different from that shown in Figure 113, in the unlocked position, and Figure 116(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state from the unlocked position in Figure 116(a) to the locked position. Note that Figure 116 shows an enlarged view of the upper right corner of the game board 5.

In this embodiment, the main frame 4 is provided with a clamp-type game board locking member 506 for pressing down on the game board 5 from the front. When viewed from the front, the game board locking member 506 is rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction at its base end between an unlocked position, in which it is positioned further outward than the game board 5, and a locked position, in which it partially overlaps with the game board 5. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, two game board locking members 506 are provided so that they can press down on the upper right and lower right corners of the game board 5.

Meanwhile, the gaming board 5 has zebra-patterned warning areas 1036 in the upper right and lower right corners of its front surface, and star-shaped instruction areas 1035 at the locations on the warning areas 1036 that are pressed from the front by the gaming board locking member 506. The warning areas 1036 are intended to alert the worker to ensure that their fingers do not get caught in the gaming board locking member 506 when pressing down the gaming board 5 with the gaming board locking member 506. Therefore, by looking at the warning areas 1036, the worker knows that the gaming board locking member 506 is nearby, improving workability and instructing the worker to take care not to get caught in the gaming board locking member 506 when locking the gaming board, thereby increasing the safety of the installation work of the gaming board 5 to the main frame 4.

In this embodiment, when the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4 and the game board locking member 506 is moved from the unlocked position to the locked position, the front of the teaching unit 1035 is covered by the game board locking member 506, making the teaching unit 1035 invisible. As a result, since the teaching unit 1035 is no longer visible, it can be determined that the game board locking member 506 is in the locked position, and it can be confirmed that the game board 5 is irremovably locked to the main frame 4.

When a game board locking member is provided on the game board 5, the instruction portion 1035 is hidden and becomes invisible when the game board locking member is moved to the locked position on the game board 5. In this state, if a player attempts to insert the game board 5 into the game board insertion portion 502 of the main frame 4 without realizing that the instruction portion 1035 is not visible, a portion of the game board locking member protrudes from the game board 5, which could prevent the game board 5 from being inserted into the game board insertion portion 502 or damage the game board locking member or the main frame 4. In contrast, in this embodiment, the game board locking member 506 for locking the game board 5 to the main frame 4 is provided on a separate main frame 4 from the game board 5. Therefore, when the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, the instruction portion 1035 of the game board 5 is not hidden by the game board locking member 506, and no portion of the game board locking member protrudes from the game board 5. Therefore, when inserting the game board 5 into the game board insertion portion 502 of the main frame 4, there is no need to worry about the visibility of the teaching portion 1035, and the main frame 4 and game board locking member 506 will not be damaged.

Note that while the teaching unit 1035 is shown to have a star-shaped pattern, it is not limited to this and may be a triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, other polygon, circle, diamond, heart, clover, or other shape (pattern), as well as a geometric pattern, letter, symbol, mark, specified character or logo, etc.

The teaching unit 1035 may be provided as a separate unit from the member on which it is provided, or may be provided integrally with the member. Examples of teaching units 1035 that are provided as separate units include those that are "applied to a sticker" or "painted." Examples of teaching units 1035 that are provided integrally include those that are "formed to have irregularities by molding" or "insert-molded."

The teaching portion 1035 formed by molding may have the shape of the teaching portion engraved on the molding die in advance, or the demolding traces may be used as the teaching portion.

The teaching unit 1035 may also be positioned so that it does not come into contact with the game board locking member 506. This prevents the teaching unit 1035 from wearing out even when the game board 5 is repeatedly attached to and detached from the main frame 4, i.e., when the locking member is repeatedly displaced between the locked and unlocked positions.

[9-2. Summary]
The teaching unit 1035 has the following various technical features.
(Background of technical features)
A gaming machine such as a pachinko machine includes a main frame that is attached to an island facility in an amusement hall via an outer frame, a game board that has a game area where games are played and is detachably attached to the main frame from the front, and a door frame that allows the game area to be viewed from the front and is openable and closable to close the game board from the front. This type of gaming machine is equipped with a locking member that locks the game board so that it cannot be removed from the main frame (for example, Patent Document: JP 2021-058420 A).

However, if the game board is not properly locked by the locking member when it is attached to the main frame, the game board may rattle, affecting gameplay and potentially reducing the player's interest in the game.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that can avoid any impact on gameplay by allowing the player to confirm that the gaming board is locked to the main frame.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine comprising a gaming board in which a gaming area in which gaming balls flow down is provided, and a main body frame that detachably supports the gaming board,
The game board is provided with a locking member that is displaceable between a locked position where the game board cannot be detached from the main body frame and an unlocked position where the game board can be detached from the main body frame,
A teaching section is provided whose visibility changes depending on the displacement of the locking member.
It is characterized by:

Here, examples of a "locking member" include "something that slides between a locked position and an unlocked position," "something that rotates around an axis in the front-to-back direction between the locked position and the unlocked position," and "something that rotates around an axis in the left-to-right or up-to-down direction between the locked position and the unlocked position." Furthermore, the locking member may be provided on the main frame or on the game board.

Examples of "instruction parts" include "concave or convex parts engraved on the molding die (metal mold)," "removal marks left by mechanisms for removing from the molding die (metal mold) (e.g., ejector pins, push-up cores, direct lift cores, ejection cores, etc.)," "printed or painted decorative parts," "specific parts such as warning parts on decorative sheets," and "attached stickers."

Further examples of "instruction parts" include "shapes of parts of a circle, such as a semicircle," "circle," "triangle," "square," "pentagon," "hexagon," "polygon," "irregular shape," "star shape," "heart shape," "geometric pattern," "symbol," and "letter."

Furthermore, the "instruction unit" whose visibility changes may be invisible or difficult to see when the locking member is in the locked position, or may be invisible or difficult to see when the locking member is in the unlocked position.

According to the configuration of means 1, the gaming machine includes a gaming board with a gaming area where gaming balls flow down, and a main frame that detachably supports the gaming board. The gaming board is equipped with a locking member that moves between a locked position where the gaming board cannot be detached from the main frame, and an unlocked position where the gaming board can be detached. The gaming machine is also equipped with a teaching unit whose visibility changes depending on the displacement of the locking member. (In the "Mode for Carrying Out the Invention," see chapters 1-3, "9. Relationship Between the Gaming Board Locking Member and the Teaching Unit," and the descriptions of gaming board locking member 506, gaming board locking member 1030, teaching unit 1035, Figures 113-116, etc.)

With this configuration, when the game board is attached to the main frame with the locking member in the unlocked position and the locking member is displaced to the locked position, the game board becomes irremovably locked to the main frame. At this time, when the locking member is displaced from the unlocked position to the locked position, the visibility of the instruction unit changes (for example, the instruction unit becomes invisible as it is covered by the locking member). This allows the player to confirm that the locking member is in the locked position by the change in visibility of the instruction unit, ensuring that the game board is securely locked to the main frame and avoiding any impact on play caused by incomplete locking of the game board to the main frame, allowing players to enjoy playing with this gaming machine and preventing a decline in interest.

It is desirable to provide the teaching part so that it does not come into contact with the displacing locking member. This prevents the teaching part from wearing out even when the game board is repeatedly attached and detached from the main frame, i.e., the locking member is repeatedly displaced between the locked and unlocked positions.

It is also desirable to provide the locking member on the main frame and the instruction section on the game board. When a locking member is provided on the game board, the instruction section is hidden and becomes invisible when the locking member is displaced (moved) to the locked position. However, if a player attempts to attach the game board to the main frame in this state without realizing that the instruction section is not visible, a portion of the locking member protrudes from the game board, which could prevent the game board from being attached to the main frame or result in damage to the locking member or the main frame. In contrast, when the locking member is provided on the main frame, the instruction section of the game board is not hidden by the locking member when the game board is removed from the main frame, and no portion of the locking member protrudes from the game board. Therefore, when attaching the game board to the main frame, there is no need to worry about the visibility of the instruction section, and the main frame or locking member will not be damaged.

A warning section may also be provided around the instruction section. Here, a warning section is a section that alerts the operator that the relevant section will be held (pressed) by the locking member, and examples of such warning sections include a zebra pattern, a warning color such as yellow or red, or text warnings. This allows the operator to see that a locking member is nearby, improving workability and reminding the operator to be careful not to get caught in the locking member when locking, thereby increasing the safety of the installation work of the game board to the main frame.

Furthermore, when a gaming board with a play area at the front is attached to the main frame, the instruction section may be provided so that it is visible from behind. In other words, when a transparent gaming board is attached to the main frame and the main frame is viewed from behind, the instruction section may be visible through the gaming board. This means, for example, that if the instruction section and the locking member overlap front to back when the locking member is displaced to the locked position, the instruction section and the locking member will appear to overlap when viewed from behind with the locking member displaced to the locked position. Therefore, when developing a gaming machine (gaming board), by attaching the gaming board to the main frame and then displacing the locking member to the locked position and viewing the instruction section from behind, it is possible to confirm whether the gaming board can be securely attached to the main frame, thereby facilitating (supporting) development.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can avoid any impact on gameplay by making it possible to confirm that the gaming board is locked to the main frame.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
In this embodiment, the game board locking member 506 of the main frame base unit 500 in the main frame 4, the game board locking member 506, and the game board locking member 1030 of the game board 5 correspond to the locking members of the above-mentioned solution means, the teaching unit 1035 in this embodiment corresponds to the teaching unit of the above-mentioned solution means, and the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to this embodiment, when the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4 and the game board locking member 506 and the game board locking member 1030 (hereinafter simply referred to as the game board locking member 506) are in the unlocked position, and the game board 5 is displaced to the locked position, the game board 5 is irremovably locked to the main frame 4. At this time, when the game board locking member 506 is displaced from the unlocked position to the locked position, the visibility of the teaching unit 1035 changes (here, the teaching unit 1035 is covered by the game board locking member 506 and becomes invisible). This allows the player to confirm that the game board locking member 506 is in the locked position by the change in visibility of the teaching unit 1035, and the game board 5 can be reliably locked to the main frame 4. This also prevents the game from being affected by incomplete locking of the game board 5 to the main frame 4, allowing the player to enjoy playing the pachinko machine 1 and suppress a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the teaching unit 1035 is provided so as not to come into contact with the displacing game board locking member 506. Therefore, even if the game board 5 is repeatedly attached and detached to and from the main frame 4, i.e., the game board locking member 506 is repeatedly displaced between the locked and unlocked positions, the teaching unit 1035 will not wear out.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment of Figure 116, the game board locking member 506 is provided on the main frame 4, and the instruction unit 1035 is provided on the game board 5. When the game board locking member 1030 is provided on the game board 5, displacing (moving) the game board locking member 1030 to the locked position on the game board 5 hides the instruction unit 1035 and makes it invisible. However, if an attempt is made to attach the game board 5 to the main frame 4 in this state without realizing that the instruction unit 1035 is not visible, a portion of the game board locking member 1030 protrudes from the game board 5, which could prevent the game board 5 from being attached to the main frame 4 or could result in damage to the game board locking member 1030 or the main frame 4. In contrast, because the game board locking member 506 is attached to the main frame 4, when the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, the teaching portion 1035 of the game board 5 is not hidden by the game board locking member 506, and no part of the game board locking member protrudes from the game board 5. Therefore, when attaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4, there is no need to worry about the visibility of the teaching portion 1035, and the main frame 4 and game board locking member 506 will not be damaged.

In addition, according to this embodiment of Figure 116, a warning portion 1036 is provided around the teaching portion 1035, so by looking at the warning portion 1036, it is clear that the game board locking member 506 is located nearby, improving workability and informing the operator not to get caught in the game board locking member 506 when locking, thereby increasing the safety of the work of attaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4.

When the game panel 1100 of the game board 5, which has a play area 5a at the front, is attached to the main frame 4, the instruction unit 1035 may be provided so that it is visible from behind. In this case, when viewed from behind the main frame 4 with the game board locking member 1030 displaced to the locked position, the instruction unit 1035 and the game board locking member 1030 will appear to overlap. Therefore, during the development of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), by attaching the game panel 1100 to the main frame 4 and then displacing the game board locking member 1030 to the locked position and viewing the area of the instruction unit 1035 from behind, it is possible to confirm whether the game panel 1100 (game board 5) can be securely attached to the main frame 4, thereby facilitating (assisting) development.

[10. Specific traces provided other than the center feature]
Next, we will explain the specific traces provided on the game board 5 other than the center role 2500. Examples of specific traces include demolding traces left on a product when the product is demolded from a mold (molding die), gate marks that serve as inlets for molten resin during injection molding, and intentionally engraved marks on a molding die. Below, we will use the demolding traces 2519 as an example of a specific trace. However, even if a specific trace is included, it can achieve the same effects as those of the demolding traces 2519, as described below. The demolding traces 2519 are extrusion traces left on a product by a mechanism (e.g., an ejector pin, a push-up core, a direct-lift core, an ejection core, etc.) for removing the product from the molding die after molding the product using the molding die. The demolding traces 2519 are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to adjacent flat areas.

The demolding traces 2519 are provided on the plate surface of a plate-shaped member, the edge surface of a plate-shaped or weir-shaped member, etc. Possible shapes of the demolding traces 2519 include polygons such as triangles, squares, pentagons, and hexagons, as well as circles, semicircles, stars, and irregular shapes such as hearts and clover shapes (see Figure 99).

[10-1. Demolding trace portion provided on the component]
Next, the demolding trace portion 2519 provided on the front component 1000 of the gaming board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 117 to 123. Figure 117 is an exploded perspective view of the gaming board from the front, with the front component, function display unit, and game panel separated, and Figure 118 is an exploded perspective view of the gaming board from the rear, with the front component, function display unit, and game panel separated. Note that Figures 117 and 118 omit the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100.

As shown in Figures 117 and 118, the relationship between the front component 1000, gaming panel 1100, and function display unit 1400 is such that the function display unit 1400 is attached from the rear to the function display unit attachment portion 1011 located in the upper left corner of the front component 1000, and the front component 1000 is attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100. When these are assembled, part of the function display unit 1400 (the portion of the connection connector 1402b) is exposed to the rear.

[10-1a. Demolding traces provided on inner rail]
The demolding trace portion 2519 provided on the inner rail 1002 of the inner rail unit 1060 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 119 etc. Figure 119(a) is a front view of the inner rail unit in the front component member, and (b) is a rear view of the inner rail unit in the front component member.

First, the inner rail unit 1060 of the previous component 1000 is composed of the inner rail 1002, the out guide section 1003, and part of the lower right rail 1004, and has an outlet 1008. Details will be described later, but a ball backflow prevention unit 1061 is provided at the tip (upper end) of the inner rail unit 1060.

The inner rail unit 1060 is also provided with a door frame opening switch 1060a that can detect the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4. This door frame opening switch 1060a is a proximity sensor, and when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4 with the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4, it can detect the approach of the door frame 3 and thereby detect that the door frame 3 is in a closed state.

When a player pulls hard on the effect operation unit 250 attached to the door frame 3, creating a gap between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4, the door frame 3 moves away from the door frame middle open switch 1060a, putting the door frame 3 into a non-detectable state. This means that even if the door frame 3 is not open relative to the main frame 4, it can be detected that the door frame 3 is open. In other words, it is possible to detect the formation of a gap between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4 (game board 5). As a result, even if a player pulls on the door frame 3 to create a gap between it and the main frame 4 in an attempt to commit fraud, the door frame middle open switch 1060a can detect the formation of the gap and issue a warning, preventing fraud.

The inner rail 1002 is formed in the shape of a transparent strip. With both sides of the strip facing forward and backward, the inner rail 1002 is formed in an arc shape when viewed from the front. This inner rail 1002 has multiple demolding marks 2519 on its rear surface (see Figure 119 (b)). In other words, the inner rail 1002 has multiple demolding marks 2519 on the surface that does not come into contact with the game ball B and that faces the flat game panel 1100 in front of which the game area 5a is provided (the rear surface).

With this inner rail 1002, the demolding traces 2519 are provided on the rear surface, making them less noticeable from the front and preventing the appearance from being marred by the visibility of the demolding traces 2519. Furthermore, because the demolding traces 2519 are provided on the rear surface, the game ball B does not come into contact with the demolding traces 2519, and the demolding traces 2519 do not affect the movement of the game ball B. Therefore, the movement of the game ball B circulating in the game area 5a does not cause any sense of incongruity or discomfort, and the movement of the game ball B can be enjoyed.

[10-1b. Demolding trace portion provided on the ball backflow prevention unit]
Next, the demolding trace portion 2519 provided on the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 at the tip of the inner rail unit 1060 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 120 etc. Figure 120(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the ball backflow prevention unit provided at the tip of the inner rail unit when the backflow prevention member is in the open state, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the ball backflow prevention unit provided at the tip of the inner rail unit when the backflow prevention member is in the closed state, (c) is a front view of the backflow prevention member, and (d) is a rear view of the backflow prevention member.

The ball backflow prevention unit 1061, located at the tip (top end) of the inner rail unit 1060 (inner rail 1002), is designed to prevent a game ball B that has been shot into the play area 5a from returning to the space between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002.

The ball backflow prevention unit 1061 includes a backflow prevention member 1007 for preventing the backflow of game ball B, a storage recess 1061a for storing the base end of the backflow prevention member 1007, and a cylindrical support portion 1061b for supporting the base end of the backflow prevention member 1007 within the storage recess 1061a so that it can rotate around an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction.

As shown in Figures 120(c) and (d), the backflow prevention member 1007 has a cylindrical base end 1007a into which the pivot support portion 1061b of the spherical backflow prevention unit 1061 is inserted, a backflow prevention piece 1007b extending in a flat plate shape in a predetermined direction from the base end 1007a, and a weight 1007c protruding from the base end 1007a on the side opposite the backflow prevention piece 1007b. The backflow prevention member 1007 is formed so that the weight of the weight 1007c is greater than the weight of the backflow prevention piece 1007b. Therefore, when the base end 1007a is pivotally supported, the backflow prevention piece 1007b extends upward from the base end 1007a. When assembled to the gaming board 5, the backflow prevention member 1007 is attached so that a gap is formed between the pivot support portion 1061b and the front wall of the storage recess 1061a, and between the pivot support portion 1061b and the gaming panel 1100, in the axial direction (front-to-back direction).

The storage recess 1061a of the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 is formed like a container that is open to the rear and left. The pivot support portion 1061b is a separate component from the ball backflow prevention unit (inner rail 1002) and is formed from cylindrical metal. The front end of the pivot support portion 1061b is attached to the rear surface of the front wall of the storage recess 1061a.

In the normal state, the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 is in a closed position in which the backflow prevention member 1007 has its backflow prevention piece 1007b rising almost vertically from the base end 1007a and extending upward so as to intersect with the side of the inner rail 1002 (see Figure 120 (b)). In this closed position, the distance between the tip of the backflow prevention piece 1007b and the outer rail 1001 is shorter than the diameter of the game ball B.

When game ball B is launched from ball launch unit 550 in this normal state, it moves upward between outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 and abuts against backflow prevention piece 1007b from the lower left. Then, depending on the momentum of game ball B, backflow prevention piece 1007b moves to the right, i.e., the backflow prevention member 1007 rotates in a clockwise direction, causing backflow prevention piece 1007b to assume an open position along inner rail 1002 (see Figure 120(a)), allowing game ball B to enter game area 5a. After that, when game ball B passes through the backflow prevention member 1007, gravity automatically returns backflow prevention member 1007 to its normal state, i.e., its closed position.

When the backflow prevention member 1007 is in the closed position, the weight portion 1007c of the backflow prevention member 1007 contacts the right wall that forms the inner wall of the storage recess 1061a. Therefore, the backflow prevention member 1007 is restricted from further rotation in the direction in which the tip of the backflow prevention piece 1007b moves to the left, i.e., counterclockwise. As a result, even if the game ball B abuts the backflow prevention piece 1007b from the right, the backflow prevention member 1007 will not rotate. Therefore, even if game ball B that has been shot into the game area 5a attempts to return to the area between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 and hits the backflow prevention piece 1007b from the right, the backflow prevention member 1007 will not rotate counterclockwise, and the backflow prevention piece 1007b will bounce game ball B back, preventing game ball B from returning to the ball launching unit 550.

In this embodiment, the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 has a demolding trace 2519. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 120, the demolding trace 2519 is provided on the rear surface of the front wall that forms the inner wall of the storage recess 1061a. This demolding trace 2519 is provided in a location that overlaps in the front-to-rear direction with the weight portion 1007c of the backflow prevention member 1007 when the backflow prevention member 1007 is in the closed position. This allows the operation of the backflow prevention member 1007 to be confirmed when assembling the game board 5 by rotating the backflow prevention member 1007 and checking whether the backflow prevention member 1007 (weight portion 1007c) overlaps with the demolding trace 2519 of the storage recess 1061a. In other words, the demolding trace 2519 of the storage recess 1061a serves as a guide for the operation of the backflow prevention member 1007.

In addition, the demolding trace portion 2519 of the storage recess 1061a is located in a position that overlaps front to back when the backflow prevention member 1007 is in the closed position. Therefore, under normal conditions, the backflow prevention member 1007 and the demolding trace portion 2519 overlap in the front to back direction, and the presence of the backflow prevention member 1007 (weight portion 1007c) at the rear makes the demolding trace portion 2519 difficult to see from the front. On the other hand, when the backflow prevention member 1007 is in the open position, the backflow prevention member 1007 (weight portion 1007c) is not located behind the demolding trace portion 2519, making the demolding trace portion 2519 easy to see. However, the time that the backflow prevention member 1007 is in the open position is only a short time during which the game ball B passes through, so the presence of the demolding trace portion 2519 located in the storage recess 1061a is difficult to notice. For this reason, it is difficult for players to notice the demolding traces 2519 in the storage recess 1061a, and the presence of the demolding traces 2519 does not detract from the appearance of the gaming board 5.

Furthermore, the demolding trace portion 2519 of the storage recess 1061a is arranged so as not to come into contact with the backflow prevention member 1007, so the demolding trace portion 2519 does not interfere with the operation of the backflow prevention member 1007.

In addition, in this embodiment, the backflow prevention member 1007 also has a demolding trace portion 2519. The demolding trace portion 2519 of the backflow prevention member 1007 is provided on the rear surface, as shown in Figure 120 (d). In other words, the backflow prevention member 1007 is provided on a surface that does not come into contact with the game ball B and that faces the game panel 1100, which is not directly visible to the player. This does not impede the circulation of the game ball B, and does not impair the appearance of the game board 5.

In addition, because there is a gap between the rear surface of the backflow prevention member 1007 and the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, the demolding trace portion 2519 on the rear surface of the backflow prevention member 1007 does not come into contact with the gaming panel 1100, and the demolding trace portion 2519 does not interfere with the operation of the backflow prevention member 1007.

In the above, the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 is shown as being integrally provided at the tip of the inner rail 1002, but this is not limited to this, and the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 and the inner rail 1002 may also be constructed as separate members (separate bodies).

In addition, while the above example shows the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 being installed on the inner rail 1002, this is not limited to this, and the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 may also be installed on the outer rail 1001 side.

[10-1c. Removal trace portion provided in the stamp attachment portion of the component]
Next, the removal trace portion 2519 provided on the certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 of the component 1000 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 121 etc. Figure 121 is an explanatory perspective view showing the certificate stamp pasting portion and the certificate stamp base separated in the component 1000. The certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 comprises a storage recess 1012a recessed in the front surface of the portion below the lower right rail 1004 of the component 1000, and a certificate stamp base 1012b attached within the storage recess 1012a and onto the front surface of which a certificate stamp 1012d is pasted.

Certificate stamp 1012d is a sticker bearing information that can identify the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), such as its manufacturer, serial number, and type of game board. Specifically, the "certificate stamp" has a main body with a modified pentagonal shape, with a horizontal rectangle attached to the base of a horizontal trapezoid, and a predetermined pattern is applied to the entire surface of the main body. The horizontal rectangular portion of the main body of the certificate stamp bears the combination certificate of the gaming machine, such as a pachinko machine, the type of game board, and the manufacturer's name. The color of the main body of the certificate stamp also makes it possible to identify the type of game board. Furthermore, a serial number label bearing the manufacturer's code, serial number, and two-dimensional barcode is affixed to the trapezoidal portion of the main body of the certificate stamp. The two-dimensional barcode on the serial number tag contains information such as an information ID (for example, the ID of the game board, the ID of the associated main control board, the ID of the associated peripheral control board, etc.), type, manufacturer code, year of manufacture, serial number, etc. For this reason, the "certificate stamp" in this embodiment is a combination of the certificate stamp itself (the so-called certificate stamp) and the serial number tag.

The storage recess 1012a is open to the front and downward. As shown, the certificate stamp base 1012b has a peripheral wall 1012c that protrudes rearward from the outer periphery, and is formed in the shape of a shallow box that is open to the rear. This certificate stamp base 1012b is made of a transparent material. Although not shown, while the certificate stamp base 1012b is stored in the storage recess 1012a, it is attached to the previous component 1000 from the front side using mounting screws, and the certificate stamp 1012d is affixed so that the mounting screws are covered.

In this embodiment, a removal trace portion 2519 is provided on the rear surface of the certificate stamp base 1012b. More specifically, the removal trace portion 2519 of the certificate stamp base 1012b is provided in a position that overlaps with the certificate stamp 1012d in the front-to-back direction. As a result, when the certificate stamp 1012d is affixed to the front of the certificate stamp base 1012b, the removal trace portion 2519 of the certificate stamp base 1012b is hidden by the certificate stamp 1012d and cannot be seen from the front. This prevents the appearance of the certificate stamp attachment portion 1012 from being marred, and, because the removal trace portion 2519 is visible when the certificate stamp 1012d is not affixed, it is possible to make the user aware that the certificate stamp 1012d has been forgotten to be affixed.

In addition, in this embodiment, a removal trace portion 2519 is provided on the rear surface of the certificate stamp base 1012b to which the certificate stamp 1012d is affixed, so there are no irregularities on the front surface of the certificate stamp base 1012b due to the removal trace portion 2519. As a result, the certificate stamp 1012d affixed to the front surface of the certificate stamp base 1012b does not develop irregularities or wrinkles due to the removal trace portion 2519, making the display on the certificate stamp 1012d easier to see and preventing a decline in the player's interest.

In addition, in this embodiment, the rear surface of the certificate stamp base 1012b is provided with a peripheral wall portion 1012c that protrudes further rearward than the demolding trace portion 2519. This prevents the demolding trace portion 2519 of the certificate stamp base 1012b from coming into contact with the rear component (the bottom surface of the storage recess 1012a), and no rattle will occur due to contact with the demolding trace portion 2519. Therefore, even if some vibration is transmitted to the certificate stamp base 1012b, the certificate stamp base 1012b will not rattle, and the markings on the certificate stamp 1012d affixed to the certificate stamp base 1012b can be clearly seen.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the certificate stamp base 1012b is provided with a peripheral wall 1012c that protrudes rearward from the outer periphery beyond the demolding trace 2519. This allows the peripheral wall 1012c to reinforce the outer periphery of the certificate stamp base 1012b, thereby increasing the strength and rigidity of the certificate stamp base 1012b. This reduces distortion of the certificate stamp base 1012b due to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity, or changes over time, and allows the display on the certificate stamp 1012d to be maintained in good condition for an extended period of time.

In addition, in this embodiment, the certificate stamp 1012d is affixed to the front of the certificate stamp base 1012b, which is attached within the storage recess 1012a. Therefore, when reusing the game board 5, it is sufficient to remove only the certificate stamp base 1012b. When removing the certificate stamp base 1012b, it is necessary to tear and peel off the affixed certificate stamp 1012d, so there are no concerns about the certificate stamp 1012d.

In this embodiment, a demolding trace 2519 may be provided on the front surface of the storage recess 1012a. The demolding trace 2519 of the storage recess 1012a is hidden from the front by the certificate stamp 1012d affixed to the certificate stamp base 1012b, so it does not detract from the appearance of the gaming board 5. Furthermore, if the certificate stamp 1012d is not affixed, the demolding trace 2519 of the storage recess 1012a is visible, making it possible to remind the player that the certificate stamp 1012d has been forgotten to be affixed.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the removal trace portion 2519 of the certificate stamp base 1012b may be provided in a portion that does not overlap with the certificate stamp 1012d in the front-to-back direction, in other words, in a portion that is not hidden by the certificate stamp 1012d. This makes it possible for the removal trace portion 2519 to indicate the position where the certificate stamp 1012d should be affixed.

[10-1d. Demolding trace portion provided on the information display portion of the component]
Next, the demolding trace portion 2519 provided on an information display portion such as the game board first information display portion 1015 in the component 1000 will be described with reference to Fig. 122 etc. Fig. 122(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a perspective view in which the game board first information display portion and the first information sticker base in the component are disassembled and the demolding trace portion is marked on each, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the relationship between the demolding trace portion and the protrusion portion in the first information sticker base.

Here, the first information display unit 1015 of the game board will be used as an example of the information display unit.
The main configuration of the game board first information display section 1015 is explained in chapter [8-1a. Game board first information display section], and detailed explanation will be omitted here.

The gaming board first information display unit 1015 mainly comprises a shallowly recessed storage recess 1015a on the front surface of the component 1000, and a first information sticker base 1016 housed in the storage recess 1015a and with a first information sticker 1017 bearing information about the gaming board 5 affixed to its front surface. The first information sticker base 1016 comprises a flat base plate 1016a to which the first information sticker 1017 is affixed on its front surface, and multiple protrusions 1016e arranged in a grid pattern on the rear surface of the base plate 1016a. The first information sticker 1017 (spec sticker) displays the specifications of the gaming board 5, such as the probability of a jackpot, number of prize balls, number of jackpot rounds, and count number.

The first information display section 1015 of the game board has multiple demolding traces 2519 on the front surface of the storage recess 1015a and on the rear surface of the base plate 1016a of the first information sticker base 1016.

The multiple demolding traces 2519 on the front surface of the storage recess 1015a are positioned so that they do not overlap the protrusions 1016e of the first information sticker base 1016 in the front-to-rear direction. This prevents the demolding traces 2519 of the storage recess 1015a from coming into contact with the protrusions 1016e when the first information sticker base 1016 is attached to the storage recess 1015a.

The multiple demolding traces 2519 on the first information sticker base 1016 are located within compartments defined in a grid pattern by the protrusions 1016e. As shown in Figure 122 (b), the protrusions 1016e protrude further than the demolding traces 2519. This ensures that when the first information sticker base 1016 is attached to the accommodating recess 1015a, the demolding traces 2519 on the first information sticker base 1016 do not come into contact with the front surface of the accommodating recess 1015a.

According to this embodiment, when the first information sticker base 1016 is attached to the accommodating recess 1015a, the respective demolding trace portions 2519 do not come into contact with the other side, so the first information sticker base 1016 can be attached without rattle.

In addition, the demolding trace portion 2519 provided in the storage recess 1015a is hidden by the first information seal base 1016 (first information seal 1017) when the first information seal base 1016 is attached, so the demolding trace portion 2519 in the storage recess 1015a becomes invisible, allowing confirmation that the first information seal base 1016 has been attached.

In addition, in this embodiment, a demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the rear surface of the base plate 1016a of the first information sticker base 1016 to which the first information sticker 1017 is affixed, so there are no irregularities on the front surface of the base plate 1016a due to the demolding trace portion 2519. As a result, the first information sticker 1017 affixed to the front surface of the base plate 1016a does not develop irregularities or wrinkles due to the demolding trace portion 2519, making the display on the first information sticker 1017 easier to see and preventing a decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first information sticker base 1016 is provided with protrusions 1016e that protrude backward in a grid pattern, which reinforce the first information sticker base 1016 and increase the strength and rigidity of the first information sticker base 1016. This reduces distortion of the first information sticker base 1016 due to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity, or changes over time, and allows the display provided by the first information sticker 1017 to be maintained in good condition for an extended period of time.

In addition, in this embodiment, the removal trace portion 2519 of the first information sticker base 1016 is provided in a position that overlaps with the first information sticker 1017 in the front-to-back direction. As a result, when the first information sticker 1017 is affixed to the front of the first information sticker base 1016, the removal trace portion 2519 of the first information sticker base 1016 is hidden by the first information sticker 1017 and cannot be seen from the front. This does not spoil the appearance of the gaming board first information display portion 1015, and because the removal trace portion 2519 is visible when the first information sticker 1017 is not affixed, it is possible to make players aware that they have forgotten to affix the first information sticker 1017.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the demolding trace portion 2519 of the first information sticker base 1016 may be provided in a portion that does not overlap with the first information sticker 1017 in the front-to-back direction, in other words, in a portion that is not hidden by the first information sticker 1017. This makes it possible for the demolding trace portion 2519 to indicate the position where the first information sticker 1017 should be affixed.

In the above, the first gaming board information display section 1015 was shown as the information display section on which the demolding trace section 2519 is provided, but this is not limited to this and the second gaming board information display section 1020 or the third gaming board information display section 1025 may also be used. The second information sticker 1022 (copyright sticker) on the second gaming board information display section 1020 displays information regarding the copyright of the gaming board 5. Furthermore, the third information sticker 1027 (AM sticker) on the third gaming board information display section 1025 displays information regarding the certification of the gaming board 5.

[10-1e. Demolding trace portion provided on decorative body of the component]
Next, the demolding trace portion 2519 provided on the decorative body of the preceding component 1000 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 123 etc. Here, the description will be made using the certificate stamp base 1012b as an example of the decorative body of the preceding component 1000. Figure 123 is a perspective view of the certificate stamp base as a decorative body of the preceding component, seen from behind.

The certificate stamp base 1012b has a peripheral wall 1012c that protrudes rearward from the outer periphery of the flat base plate. In this embodiment, a removal trace 2519 is provided on the rear surface of the certificate stamp base 1012b and the rear end surface of the peripheral wall 1012c. The removal trace 2519 on the rear surface of the base plate is located in a position that overlaps in the front-to-rear direction with the certificate stamp 1012d affixed to the front surface.

According to this embodiment, in addition to the rear surface of the base plate, multiple demolding traces 2519 are also provided on the rear end surface of the peripheral wall 1012c. Therefore, when the certificate stamp base 1012b is injection molded and removed from the mold, the peripheral wall 1012c can also be pushed by a demolding mechanism such as an ejector pin to remove it, compared to when the demolding traces 2519 are provided only on the rear surface of the base plate, thereby reducing deformation when removed from the mold.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the front surface of the certificate stamp base 1012b is free of unevenness due to the removal trace portion 2519, so the certificate stamp 1012d attached to the front surface of the certificate stamp base 1012b does not develop unevenness or wrinkles due to the removal trace portion 2519, making the display on the certificate stamp 1012d easier to see and preventing a decline in the player's interest.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the demolding traces 2519 on the rear surface of the base plate can be hidden by attaching the certificate stamp 1012d to the front surface, and the demolding traces 2519 on the peripheral wall 1012c are located on the rear end surface, making them difficult to see from the front. As a result, the demolding traces 2519 are difficult to see from the player's side, so even if the demolding traces 2519 are provided on the certificate stamp base 1012b, it does not look bad.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the removal trace portion 2519 of the certificate stamp base 1012b (base plate) is located in a position that overlaps with the certificate stamp 1012d in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, if the certificate stamp 1012d is not attached, the removal trace portion 2519 of the base plate is visible, making it possible to remind the user that the certificate stamp 1012d has been forgotten to be attached.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the certificate stamp base 1012b is provided with a peripheral wall portion 1012c that protrudes rearward from the outer periphery, which reinforces the outer periphery of the certificate stamp base 1012b and increases the strength and rigidity of the certificate stamp base 1012b. This reduces distortion of the certificate stamp base 1012b due to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity, or changes over time, and allows the display on the certificate stamp 1012d to be maintained in good condition for an extended period of time.

In the above, the certificate stamp base 1012b to which the certificate stamp 1012d is attached is shown, but this is not limited to this and it may also be a sticker base to which a decorative sticker is attached. In addition, in the above, the certificate stamp base 1012b is shown as a component attached to the front of the front component 1000 and ultimately the gaming panel 1100, but this is not limited to this and it may also be a decorative element.

[10-1f. Removal trace portion provided on the functional display unit mounting portion of the component]
Next, the mold removal trace portion 2519 provided on the function display unit mounting portion 1011 of the front component 1000 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 124 etc. Figure 124 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the functional display unit mounting portion together with the function display unit in an exploded perspective view seen from the rear with the front component and the function display unit separated.

As shown in Figure 124, the function display unit mounting portion 1011 has a box-shaped storage recess 1011a that is open to the rear, an opening 1011b that penetrates the front wall of the storage recess 1011a, and a locking claw 1011c that is provided on the side wall of the storage recess 1011a. The function display unit 1400 is stored in the storage recess 1011a from the rear. The opening 1011b is provided so that the display portion 1401b of the function display unit 1400 faces forward. When the function display unit 1400 is stored in the storage recess 1011a, the locking claw 1011c elastically deforms and then locks onto the rear surface of the function display unit 1400.

As shown in Figure 124, this function display unit mounting portion 1011 has a mold removal trace 2519 on the rear surface of the front wall that forms the inner wall of the storage recess 1011a. This mold removal trace 2519 is located at a position that overlaps the connector 1402b of the function display unit 1400 in the front-to-back direction. This allows the function display unit 1400 to be mounted in the correct orientation when mounting the function display unit 1400 in the storage recess 1011a by using the mold removal trace 2519 as a guide.

Furthermore, because the accommodating recess 1011a has a demolding trace portion 2519, when the function display unit 1400 is attached to the accommodating recess 1011a, the demolding trace portion 2519 is obscured from the rear by the function display unit 1400. Because the demolding trace portion 2519 and the function display unit 1400 overlap in the front-to-rear direction, the demolding trace portion 2519 is difficult to see from the front through the transparent front component 1000. As a result, the visibility of the demolding trace portion 2519 changes, making it possible to confirm whether the function display unit 1400 is attached or not.

Furthermore, when the function display unit 1400 is attached to the storage recess 1011a, the demolding traces 2519 of the storage recess 1011a are difficult to see from the front, so the appearance is not marred by the demolding traces 2519.

[10-2. Demolding trace portion provided on the function display unit]
Next, the demolding trace 2519 provided on the function display unit 1400 will be described with reference to Figures 125 and 126. Figure 125(a) is an exploded perspective view of the function display unit disassembled from the front, and Figure 125(b) is an exploded perspective view of the function display unit disassembled from the rear. Figure 126 is a perspective view of the first case, in which the demolding trace is provided in the LED hole area, as seen from the rear.

The 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 regular and special symbol lottery, the number of reserved regular and special symbol symbols, etc.

The function display unit 1400 comprises a first case 1401 that is open to the rear and shallow in the front-to-back direction, a function display board 1402 that is inserted into the first case 1401 from the rear, a second case 1403 that is attached to the first case 1401 so as to cover the function display board 1402 from the rear, and a function display sticker 1404 that is affixed to the front of the first case 1401.

The first case 1401 is long from top to bottom, with an arc-shaped notch in the bottom right corner. The first case 1401 has a flat, rectangular front wall 1401a, a display 1401b that extends downward from the bottom end of the front wall 1401a and whose front surface protrudes further forward than the front wall 1401a, a reflector 1401c that protrudes further rearward from the rear surface of the display 1401b than the rear surface of the front wall 1401a, and multiple LED holes 1401d that penetrate the reflector 1401c from front to back.

The first case 1401 also has a peripheral wall portion 1401e that extends rearward beyond the reflector portion 1401c from the outer periphery formed by the front wall portion 1401a and the display portion 1401b, and a board positioning portion 1401f that protrudes rearward from the rear surfaces of the front wall portion 1401a and the display portion 1401b.

The display unit 1401b protrudes leftward and downward relative to the front wall unit 1401a, and also protrudes forward so as to form a step between it and the front wall unit 1401a. The lower right corner of the display unit 1401b is notched in an arc shape to fit along the outer rail 1001. A function display sticker 1404 is affixed to the front of this display unit 1401b, and the display unit 1401b is inserted from the rear into the opening 1011b of the function display unit mounting portion 1011 of the component 1000.

When viewed from the rear, the reflector portion 1401c is formed in a rectangular shape with its long sides extending in the tangent direction of the outer rail 1001. The LED holes 1401d are arranged in three rows in the longitudinal direction of the reflector portion 1401c. The LED holes 1401d are arranged to correspond to the LEDs provided on the functional display board 1402. The peripheral wall portion 1401e is provided around the entire periphery of the first case 1401.

The substrate positioning portion 1401f has a flat portion against which the front surface of the functional display substrate 1402 abuts, and a positioning pin that protrudes rearward from the flat portion. The positioning pin is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the functional display substrate 1402.

The outer periphery of the function display board 1402 conforms to the inner periphery of the first case 1401. The function display board 1402 has multiple LEDs 1402a located at the bottom of the front surface and a connection connector 1402b located near the top edge of the rear surface.

The second case 1403 has a flat rear wall 1403a whose outer periphery conforms to the inner periphery of the first case 1401, a peripheral wall 1403b that protrudes forward from the periphery of the rear wall 1403a, and an abutment portion 1403c that protrudes forward from the front end face of the peripheral wall 1403b and abuts against the rear surface of the functional display board 1402.

The peripheral wall portion 1403b is provided around the entire periphery of the rear wall portion 1403a. This second case 1403 is inserted into the peripheral wall portion 1401e of the first case 1401 from the rear. Therefore, when assembled to the function display unit 1400, the second case 1403 does not protrude rearward beyond the rear end of the first case 1401.

This function display unit 1400 has multiple demolding traces 2519 on the first case 1401 and the second case 1403.

First, as shown in Figure 125(b), the first case 1401 has multiple demolding traces 2519 on the rear surfaces of the front wall 1401a and the display unit 1401b, and on the rear end surface of the peripheral wall 1401e.

The demolding traces 2519 provided on the rear surfaces of the front wall 1401a and the display unit 1401b are located in areas that avoid the multiple LED holes 1401d. In other words, the demolding traces 2519 are provided in the inner area of the first case 1401 surrounded by the peripheral wall 1401e, avoiding the multiple LED holes 1401d. In other words, the reflector unit 1401c does not have demolding traces 2519. As a result, when the first case 1401 is injection molded and removed from the mold, the LED holes 1401d are not deformed by being pressed by a demolding mechanism such as an ejector pin, and light from the LEDs 1402a on the functional display board 1402 can be reliably transmitted.

In addition, the demolding traces 2519 provided on the rear surfaces of the front wall 1401a and the display 1401b are located in areas that are hidden by the function display board 1402 when the function display board 1402 is inserted into the first case 1401. As a result, when assembling the function display unit 1400, if the function display board 1402 is inserted into the first case 1401 from the rear, the demolding traces 2519 provided on the front wall 1401a and the display 1401b become invisible, making it easier to visually confirm whether the function display board 1402 has been securely inserted.

Furthermore, a demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the rear end surface of the peripheral wall portion 1401e of the first case 1401, so when assembled to the game board 5, the demolding trace portion 2519 of the first case 1401 is not visible from the front and does not detract from the appearance.

Next, as shown in Figure 125(a), the second case 1403 has multiple demolding traces 2519 on the front surface of the rear wall portion 1403a and on the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 1403b.

The demolding trace 2519 on the rear wall 1403a of the second case 1403 is located at a position that overlaps the functional display board 1402 in the front-to-back direction. As a result, when assembling the functional display unit 1400, for example, if the functional display board 1402 is set on the front side of the second case 1403 in advance, the demolding trace 2519 on the rear wall 1403a will be hidden by the functional display board 1402 and will not be visible, which can serve as a guide as to whether the functional display board 1402 is securely set on the second case 1403.

Furthermore, when the second case 1403 is assembled into the function display unit 1400, it is housed inside the first case 1401, so even if there is a demolding trace 2519 on the front end surface of the peripheral wall 1403b, it will not be visible from the front (player) and will not detract from the appearance.

In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the reflector portion 1401c of the first case 1401 does not have a demolding trace portion 2519, but this is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 126, the demolding trace portion 2519 may be provided on the rear surface of the reflector portion 1401c so as to avoid the LED hole 1401d. In this case, if the rear end of the LED hole 1401d is tapered toward the rear, it is possible to absorb deformation caused by pressure from the ejector pin etc. when the first case 1401 is injection molded and then demolded from the mold.

In addition, a demolding trace 2519 may be provided on the front wall 1401a of the first case 1401 at a location that overlaps in the front-to-back direction with the connector 1402b, which serves as an electronic component of the functional display board 1402. This allows the functional display board 1402 to be assembled in the correct orientation using the demolding trace 2519 as a guide. In addition to the connector 1402b, examples of electronic components include LED drivers, resistors, and capacitors, and the demolding trace 2519 may be provided at a location that overlaps in the front-to-back direction with the electronic components of the first case 1401 or the second case 1403.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the function display unit 1400 is shown as having the function display board 1402 attached to the first case 1401 provided on the front side, but this is not limited to this, and the function display board 1402 may also be attached to the second case 1403 on the rear side. In this case, too, the demolding trace portion 2519 may be provided in the same manner as above.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the function display unit 1400 is shown as one in which the second case 1403 is housed within the first case 1401, but this is not limited to this. The outer peripheral shape of the second case 1403 may be the same as the outer peripheral shape of the first case 1401, and the second case 1403 may be attached to the rear of the first case 1401. In this case, too, by providing the demolding trace portion 2519 in the same manner as above, the same effect as above can be achieved.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the first case 1401 of the functional display unit 1400 is shown as being separate from the component 1000, but this is not limited to this. The functional display unit mounting portion 1011 of the component 1000 may be integrated with the component 1000 as the first case 1401. In this case, the functional display unit mounting portion 1011 may be provided with a demolding trace portion 2519 similar to that of the first case 1401.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the functional display unit 1400 is shown as being equipped with a second case 1403 that covers the rear of the functional display board 1402, but this is not limited to this, and the functional display unit 1400 may not be equipped with a second case 1403.

In this embodiment, the first case 1401 and second case 1403 of the function display unit 1400 are made of colored (e.g., black, white, etc.) synthetic resin. In this embodiment, the first case 1401 and second case 1403 are black, which makes the function display unit 1400 less noticeable on the front of the gaming board 5 and makes the light from the LED 1402a provided on the function display board 1402 more noticeable. This makes it easier to see the illuminated displays on the function display unit 1400, such as special symbols indicating the gaming status.

In addition, because the first case 1401 (second case 1403) is colored, light from a specific LED 1402a on the function display board 1402 that corresponds to a specific LED hole 1401d will not cause the uncorresponding LED hole 1401d to light up, preventing erroneous display.

Furthermore, because the first case 1401 (second case 1403) is colored, it is possible to prevent the LED hole 1401d from appearing to glow even when the LED 1402a is not emitting light due to light from behind or light reflected forward by the functional display board 1402, thereby reducing misinterpretation of the light-emitting display on the functional display unit 1400.

In addition, in this embodiment, specific trace portions 1405 are provided on the first case 1401 and the second case 1403 in locations that are not visible from the player's side (front) (see Figure 125). The specific trace portions 1405 are engraved with letters, symbols, etc. In this embodiment, the specific trace portions 1405 indicate the model number of the function display unit 1400, the materials of the first case 1401 and the second case 1403, etc. In addition, in this embodiment, the specific trace portions 1405 are provided on the surfaces of the first case 1401 and the second case 1403 that face rearward. For these reasons, the specific trace portions 1405 are not visible from the player's side, so the presence of the specific trace portions 1405 does not detract from the appearance. Furthermore, the specific trace portion 1405 allows the combination of the first case 1401 and the second case 1403 to be confirmed when assembling the game board 5, and also allows the orientation of the first case 1401 and the second case 1403 to be aligned.

In addition, the specific trace portion 1405 provided on the first case 1401 and the second case 1403 makes it possible to distinguish between the function display units 1400 (first case 1401, second case 1403) and determine whether they are genuine products.

Furthermore, by looking at the specific traces 1405 provided on the first case 1401 and the second case 1403, it becomes easier to separate materials when recycling.

Furthermore, the specific trace portion 1405 is provided in a location on the first case 1401 or the second case 1403 close to the connector 1402b, which is an electronic component on the functional display board 1402. This makes it possible to correctly orient the functional display board 1402 relative to the first case 1401 or the second case 1403 by using the specific trace portion 1405 as a guide.

The specific trace portion 1405 provided on the first case 1401 or the second case 1403 may also be used as the demolding trace portion 2519.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first case 1401 is provided with a board positioning portion 1401f, and the second case 1403 is provided with an abutment portion 1403c. Therefore, when assembled into the functional display unit 1400, gaps are formed between the rear surfaces of the front wall portion 1401a and display portion 1401b of the first case 1401 and the front surface of the functional display board 1402. In addition, a gap is formed between the front surface of the rear wall portion 1403a of the second case 1403 and the rear surface of the functional display board 1402. These gaps make it easier for heat to escape from electronic components such as the LED 1402a.

In addition, in this embodiment, the second case 1403 has an opening 1403d through which the connection connector 1402b of the functional display board 1402 passes. In this functional display unit 1400, the connection connector 1402b is provided near the upper end of the functional display board 1402. Therefore, the opening 1403d of the second case 1403 is also provided near the upper end of the rear wall portion 1403a. This allows heat from electronic components such as the LEDs 1402a on the functional display board 1402 to escape to the outside through the opening 1403d of the second case 1403.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the surface of the functional display substrate 1402 is colored a different color from the first case 1401 and the second case 1403. Specifically, the surface of the functional display substrate 1402 is colored white, which is different from the black of the first case 1401 and the second case 1403. The color (white) of the surface of the functional display substrate 1402 is due to the solder resist. As a result, since the color of the functional display substrate 1402 is different from the colors of the first case 1401 and the second case 1403, it is easy to notice when assembling the functional display unit 1400 that the functional display substrate 1402 has been left out.

In addition, the surface of the functional display substrate 1402 is colored white, which makes it easier to reflect light from the LED 1402a, allowing for a brighter light display.

In addition, in this embodiment, the function display unit 1400 is provided in the upper left corner of the gaming board 5, outside the gaming area 5a. The function display unit 1400 also has multiple LEDs 1402a (light-emitting display unit) near the bottom end close to the gaming area 5a, and a connection connector 1402b near the top end far from the gaming area 5a. In other words, multiple LEDs 1402a are provided between the gaming area 5a and the connection connector 1402b. This allows the function display unit (multiple LEDs 1402a) that displays gaming status, such as special symbols, to be located near the gaming area 5a, making the display of the gaming status easier to see. The function display unit 1400 may also be located in the lower left corner, upper right corner, or lower right corner of the gaming board 5, etc.

Furthermore, the function display unit 1400 has high sound insulation in the front-to-back direction because the first case 1401, function display board 1402, and second case 1403 are arranged in a front-to-back configuration. This allows the function display unit 1400 to block and reduce noise that is different from the sound of effects executed during jackpot games, such as the operating noise (motor noise) of the movable effect unit located at the rear, making the sound of effects such as jackpot effects more enjoyable.

[10-4. Summary]
The demolding trace portion 2519 provided other than the center feature 2500 has the following various technical features.

[10-4a. Summary A]
(Background of technical features)
Gaming machines such as pachinko machines are equipped with a function display unit that can display the game status that changes as the game ball flows down the game area. The function display unit has an LED board with multiple LEDs, and by lighting or blinking each LED, it can display, for example, special symbols or normal symbols drawn by the game ball entering the game area. As a function display unit, a board case that houses the LED board has been proposed (for example, Patent Document: JP 2008-228867 A). This makes it possible to standardize parts by unitizing the function display unit.

However, if the LED board in the functional display unit is not properly attached to the board case, the position and orientation of the LEDs may be different from what they should be, which could result in an incorrect display.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that allows the LED board of the functional display unit that displays the game status to be correctly installed.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a functional display unit capable of displaying the game status that changes as the game ball flows down the game area,
The function display unit
an LED substrate having a plurality of LEDs;
a substrate case that houses the LED substrate;
A demolding trace is provided on the bottom surface of the substrate case in a portion facing the LED substrate.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "functional display unit" displays at least one of the following game states that change as game balls flow down the game area: the normal symbol drawn by the game ball entering or passing through, the special symbol drawn by the game ball entering, the number of normal symbols pending for display, the number of special symbols pending for display, and the number of repetitions (number of rounds) of a predetermined advantageous game state such as a jackpot game.

Examples of a "board case" include "one that houses the LED board between a first case and a second case, sandwiching it from the front and back," "one that houses the LED board so that it covers only the front side of the LED board (for example, the first case)," and "one that houses the LED board so that it covers only the back side of the LED board (for example, the second case)."

The "board case" may be one in which at least the display portion is exposed to the front when attached to the game board (e.g., front component), or one in which the front is covered by a display component (e.g., a display sheet) when attached to the game board.

Furthermore, "demolding traces" are traces left on the board case by mechanisms (e.g., ejector pins, push-up cores, straight-up cores, ejection cores, etc.) used to remove the board case from the molding die (metal mold), and are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to other areas. Possible shapes of these "demolding traces" include "semicircular or similar shapes," "circular," "triangular," "square," "pentagonal," "hexagonal," "polygonal," "irregular shape," "star-shaped," "heart-shaped," etc.

According to the configuration of Means 1, the gaming machine is equipped with a functional display unit capable of displaying the game status that changes as the gaming ball flows down the gaming area. The functional display unit comprises an LED board having multiple LEDs and a board case that houses the LED board, and a demolding trace is provided on the bottom surface of the board case in a location facing the LED board (see Chapter 10-2. Demolding Traces Provided on the Functional Display Unit in the [Embodiment] section, the functional display unit 1400, first case 1401, functional display board 1402, second case 1403, demolding trace 2519, Figures 124 to 126, etc.).

With this configuration, the functional display unit, which can display the game status that changes as the game ball flows down the game area, has a demolding trace portion on the part of the board case that faces the LED board. As a result, when the LED board is placed inside the board case, the demolding trace portion on the bottom of the board case is hidden by the LED board and cannot be seen, making it easier to visually confirm whether the LED board is securely placed (inserted) in the board case. Therefore, the LED board can be properly attached to the board case, and no incorrect display will be made on the functional display unit.

In addition, when the LED board is placed in the board case, the demolding traces on the board case are covered by the LED board, so the demolding traces on the bottom of the board case are not visible from the outside and do not spoil the appearance.

If the substrate case has multiple LED holes corresponding to the multiple LEDs on the LED board, it is desirable to provide demolding marks in areas that avoid the multiple LED holes. This prevents the LED holes from being deformed by being pressed by a demolding mechanism such as an ejector pin when the substrate case is injection molded and then demolded from the mold during manufacture, ensuring that light from the LEDs on the LED board can pass through.

Alternatively, the LED board may be provided with electronic components other than the LEDs, and the demolding traces on the board case may be located in a position opposite the area where the electronic components are located. This allows the LED board to be oriented correctly relative to the board case by aligning the demolding traces on the board case with the electronic components on the LED board when the LED board is placed in the board case. Therefore, when manufacturing gaming machines, the LED board can be assembled in the correct orientation using the demolding traces on the board case as a guide.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The LED substrate is
Further, the LED further includes an electronic component different from the LED,
The demolding trace portion is
It is provided in a region opposite to the region where the electronic component is provided.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "electronic components" include "connectors," "LED drivers," "resistors," and "capacitors."

According to the configuration of Method 2, the LED substrate further includes electronic components other than the LEDs, and the demolding traces are provided in a location opposite the area where the electronic components are provided (see the description of the connector 1402b of the functional display substrate 1402, Figure 125, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, when the LED board is placed in the board case, the demolding traces on the board case and the electronic components on the LED board are aligned, allowing the LED board to be oriented correctly relative to the board case. This allows the LED board to be assembled in the correct orientation using the demolding traces on the board case as a guide during the manufacture of gaming machines.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that allows the LED board of the functional display unit that displays the game status to be installed correctly.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
In this embodiment, the function display unit 1400 of the game board 5 corresponds to the function display section of the above-mentioned solution means, the first case 1401 and the second case 1403 of the function display unit 1400 in this embodiment correspond to the board case of the above-mentioned solution means, the function display board 1402 in this embodiment corresponds to the LED board of the above-mentioned solution means, the connection connector 1402b of the function display board 1402 in this embodiment corresponds to the electronic component of the above-mentioned solution means, and the demolding trace portion 2519 in this embodiment corresponds to the demolding trace portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to this embodiment, in the function display unit 1400 capable of displaying the game status that changes as the game ball B flows down the game area 5a of the game board 5, a substrate case composed of a first case 1401 and a second case 1403 has a removal trace 2519 provided in a portion facing the function display substrate 1402 serving as an LED substrate. As a result, when the function display substrate 1402 is housed inside the first case 1401 or the like, the removal trace 2519 provided on the bottom surface of the first case 1401 or the like is hidden by the function display substrate 1402 and becomes invisible, thereby facilitating visual confirmation of whether the function display substrate 1402 is securely housed (inserted) in the first case 1401 or the like. Therefore, the function display substrate 1402 can be correctly attached to the first case 1401 or the like, and no incorrect display will be made on the function display unit 1400.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the function display substrate 1402 is housed in the first case 1401 or the like in the function display unit 1400, the demolding trace portion 2519 provided on the bottom surface of the first case 1401 or the like is covered by the function display substrate 1402, so the demolding trace portion 2519 on the bottom surface of the first case 1401 or the like is not visible from the outside and does not detract from the appearance.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the first case 1401 has a demolding trace portion 2519 in a location that avoids the multiple LED holes 1401d corresponding to the multiple LEDs 1402a on the functional display substrate 1402. Therefore, when the first case 1401 is manufactured by injection molding and then demolded from the mold, the LED holes 1401d are not deformed by being pressed by a demolding mechanism such as an ejector pin, and light from the LEDs 1402a on the functional display substrate 1402 can be reliably transmitted.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the function display board 1402 is provided with a connector 1402b as an electronic component separate from the LED 1402a, and the demolding trace 2519 on the bottom surface of the first case 1401, etc. is provided in a location opposite the area where the connector 1402b is provided. As a result, when the function display board 1402 is placed in the first case 1401, etc., the demolding trace 2519 on the bottom surface of the first case 1401, etc., and the connector 1402b overlap, making it possible to correctly orient the function display board 1402 relative to the first case 1401, etc. Therefore, when manufacturing the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), the function display board 1402 can be assembled in the correct orientation using the demolding trace 2519 on the bottom surface of the first case 1401, etc. as a guide.

[10-4b. Summary B]
(Background of technical features)
Gaming machines such as pachinko machines are provided with a functional display unit that can display the game status that changes as the gaming ball flows down the gaming area (for example, Patent Document: JP 2008-228867 A). The functional display unit has an LED board with multiple LEDs, and by lighting or blinking each LED, it can display, for example, a special symbol or a normal symbol that is drawn when the gaming ball enters the game area.

However, if for some reason the display on the function display unit becomes difficult to see, some players may mistakenly believe that the display on the function display unit differs from the game status, which could lead to distrust and a loss of interest in the game.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can reduce misinterpretation of the display on the functional display unit that displays the game status.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a functional display unit capable of displaying the game status that changes as the game ball flows down the game area,
The function display unit
an LED substrate having a plurality of LEDs;
a front cover provided in front of the LED board and having a plurality of windows corresponding to the LEDs;
A mold removal trace portion is provided on the rear surface of the front cover in a portion avoiding the window portion.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "functional display unit" displays at least one of the following game states that change as game balls flow down the game area: the normal symbol drawn by the game ball entering or passing through, the special symbol drawn by the game ball entering, the number of normal symbols pending for display, the number of special symbols pending for display, and the number of repetitions (number of rounds) of a predetermined advantageous game state such as a jackpot game.

Examples of a "front cover" include "something that is attached to a component that constitutes the front of the gaming board (e.g., a front component)" and "a component that constitutes the front of the gaming board (e.g., a front component)."

Examples of "areas that avoid the window portions" include "areas away from a group of windows (e.g., a reflector portion) consisting of multiple windows," "areas near the periphery of the window portions," and "areas on the rear end surface of the peripheral wall portion that extends rearward from the periphery of the front cover."

Furthermore, the "mold removal traces" are traces left on the front cover by mechanisms (e.g., ejector pins, push-up cores, straight-up cores, ejection cores, etc.) used to remove the front cover from the molding die (metal mold), and are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to other parts. Possible shapes of these "mold removal traces" include "semicircular or similar shapes," "circular," "triangular," "square," "pentagonal," "hexagonal," "polygonal," "irregular shape," "star-shaped," "heart-shaped," etc.

According to the configuration of means 1, a gaming machine is equipped with a functional display unit capable of displaying the game status that changes as a gaming ball flows down the gaming area. The functional display unit comprises an LED board having multiple LEDs, and a front cover provided in front of the LED board and having multiple windows corresponding to each LED. Demolding traces are provided on the rear surface of the front cover in a location that avoids the windows (see chapter [10-2. Demolding Traces Provided on Functional Display Unit] in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention], and the descriptions of the functional display unit 1400, first case 1401, LED hole 1401d, functional display board 1402, demolding traces 2519, Figures 124 to 126, etc.).

In this configuration, the functional display unit, which can display the game status that changes as the game ball flows down the game area, has windows in the front cover located in front of the LED board that correspond to each LED on the LED board. This allows the corresponding LEDs to be clearly seen lit or flashing through these windows. Furthermore, in this configuration, demolding marks are provided on the rear surface of the front cover, avoiding the multiple windows. This prevents the windows from being deformed by ejector pins or other demolding mechanisms when the front cover is injection molded and removed from the mold during manufacture, ensuring that light from the LEDs on the LED board can pass through. This makes the display on the functional display unit easier to see, reducing player misinterpretation of the game status displayed on the functional display unit. This prevents players from feeling distrustful due to misinterpretation and allows players to enjoy playing the gaming machine, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In addition, because there is a removal trace on the rear surface of the front cover in the function display area, the removal trace on the front cover is not visible to players in front, and does not spoil the appearance.

The demolding traces on the front cover may be located in a location away from the group of windows. This prevents the windows from deforming during the manufacture of the front cover, as described above, and allows light from the LEDs on the LED board to pass through reliably, achieving the same effects as described above.

Also, the LED board may be accommodated in the front cover, and a demolding trace may be provided on the rear surface of the front cover in a location facing the LED board. This makes it easier to visually confirm whether the LED board is securely accommodated (inserted) in the front cover when the LED board is accommodated in the front cover, as the demolding trace provided on the rear surface of the front cover is hidden by the LED board when the LED board is accommodated in the front cover. Therefore, the LED board can be properly attached to the front cover, the LED will not be misaligned with the window, and the LED light emission (lighting up/flashing) can be reliably seen by the player through the window, preventing misinterpretation of the game status displayed on the function display unit.

In addition, electronic components other than the LEDs may be provided on the LED board, and the removal traces on the front cover may be provided in a location facing the area where the electronic components are provided. This allows the LED board to be oriented correctly relative to the front cover by aligning the removal traces on the front cover with the electronic components on the LED board when the front cover and LED board are mated. Therefore, during the manufacture of gaming machines, the LED board can be assembled in the correct orientation using the removal traces on the front cover as a guide.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The demolding trace portion is
It is provided at a location away from the window group consisting of a plurality of the window portions.
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of Means 2, the demolding trace portion is provided in a location away from the group of windows (see the description of reflector portion 1401c of first case 1401, Figure 125, etc. in the [Embodiment]).

With this configuration, the front cover of the function display unit has a demolding trace portion located away from the group of multiple windows. As a result, as described above, the windows do not deform during the manufacture of the front cover, allowing light from the LEDs on the LED board to pass through reliably, achieving the same effects as described above.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce misinterpretation of the display on the functional display unit that displays the game status.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
In this embodiment, the function display unit 1400 of the game board 5 corresponds to the function display section of the above-mentioned solution means, the first case 1401 of the function display unit 1400 in this embodiment corresponds to the front cover of the above-mentioned solution means, the LED hole 1401d of the first case 1401 in this embodiment corresponds to the window section of the above-mentioned solution means, the reflector section 1401c of the first case 1401 in this embodiment corresponds to the portion where the group of window sections of the above-mentioned solution means is provided, the function display board 1402 in this embodiment corresponds to the LED board of the above-mentioned solution means, and the demolding trace section 2519 in this embodiment corresponds to the demolding trace section of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to this embodiment, in the function display unit 1400 capable of displaying the game status that changes as the game ball B flows down the game area 5a of the game board 5, the first case 1401 provided in front of the function display substrate 1402 is provided with LED holes 1401d corresponding to each LED 1402a of the function display substrate 1402, so that the corresponding LEDs 1402a can be clearly seen lighting up or flashing through the LED holes 1401d. In this case, a demolding trace 2519 is provided on the rear surface of the first case 1401, avoiding the LED holes 1401d. As a result, during the manufacture of the first case 1401, when the first case 1401 is injection molded and then demolded from the mold, the LED holes 1401d are not deformed by being pressed by a demolding mechanism such as an ejector pin, and light from the LEDs 1402a of the function display substrate 1402 can be reliably transmitted. As a result, the display on the function display unit 1400 can be made easier to see, reducing the chance of the player misunderstanding the display of the game status on the function display unit 1400, preventing players from feeling distrustful due to misunderstanding, and allowing players to enjoy playing with this pachinko machine 1, thereby preventing a decline in interest in playing the game.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the rear surface of the first case 1401 of the function display unit 1400, so the demolding trace portion 2519 of the first case 1401 is not visible to players in front, and does not cause an unsightly appearance.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the demolding trace portion 2519 of the first case 1401 is located in a position away from the reflector portion 1401c, which is provided with a group of windows consisting of multiple LED holes 1401d. As a result, as described above, the LED holes 1401d do not deform during the manufacture of the first case 1401, and light from the LEDs 1402a on the functional display board 1402 can be reliably transmitted, achieving the same effects as those described above.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the function display board 1402 is accommodated in the first case 1401, and a demolding trace 2519 is provided on the rear surface of the first case 1401 at a location facing the function display board 1402. As a result, when the function display board 1402 is accommodated in the first case 1401, the demolding trace 2519 provided on the rear surface of the first case 1401 is hidden by the function display board 1402 and becomes invisible, which helps visually confirm whether the function display board 1402 is securely accommodated (inserted) in the first case 1401. Therefore, since the function display board 1402 can be properly attached to the first case 1401, the LED 1402a does not become misaligned with the LED hole 1401d, and the light emission (illumination/flashing) of the LED 1402a can be reliably seen by the player through the LED hole 1401d, preventing misinterpretation of the game status displayed on the function display unit 1400.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the functional display board 1402 is provided with a connector 1402b as an electronic component separate from the LED 1402a, and the demolding trace 2519 of the first case 1401 is provided in a position facing the area where the connector 1402b is provided. As a result, when the first case 1401 and the functional display board 1402 are mated, the demolding trace 2519 of the first case 1401 and the connector 1402b of the functional display board 1402 are aligned, making it possible to correctly orient the functional display board 1402 relative to the first case 1401. Therefore, during the manufacture of the pachinko machine 1, the functional display board 1402 can be assembled in the correct orientation using the demolding trace 2519 of the first case 1401 as a guide.

[10-4c. Summary C]
(Background of technical features)
Gaming machines such as pachinko machines are provided with a functional display unit that can display the game status that changes as the gaming ball flows down the gaming area (for example, Patent Document: JP 2008-228867 A). The functional display unit has an LED board with multiple LEDs, and by lighting or blinking each LED, it can display, for example, a special symbol or a normal symbol that is drawn when the gaming ball enters the game area.

However, if the functional display unit that shows the game status does not look good, some players may become disillusioned and lose interest in the game.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can reduce the deterioration in the appearance of the functional display unit that displays the game status, thereby preventing a decline in player interest.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a functional display unit capable of displaying the game status that changes as the gaming ball flows down the gaming area,
The function display unit
an LED substrate having a plurality of LEDs;
a cover provided on one side of the LED board in the front-rear direction,
The cover is
a dam portion protruding from the outer peripheral edge toward the other side in the front-to-rear direction;
A demolding trace is provided on the tip surface of the weir section.
It is characterized by:

Here, the "functional display unit" displays at least one of the following game states that change as game balls flow down the game area: the normal symbol drawn by the game ball entering or passing through, the special symbol drawn by the game ball entering, the number of normal symbols pending for display, the number of special symbols pending for display, and the number of repetitions (number of rounds) of a predetermined advantageous game state such as a jackpot game.

Examples of a "cover" include a "front cover (first case) provided in front of the LED board" and a "rear cover (second case) provided behind the LED board." Examples of a "front cover" include "something that forms the front of the gaming board (e.g., a front component)" and "something that is attached from behind to an attachment member (e.g., a front component) that forms the front of the gaming board."

Furthermore, "demolding traces" are traces left on the cover by mechanisms used to remove the cover from the molding die (metal mold) (e.g., ejector pins, push-up cores, straight-up cores, ejection cores, etc.), and are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to other areas. Possible shapes of these "demolding traces" include "semicircular or similar shapes," "circular," "triangular," "square," "pentagonal," "hexagonal," "polygonal," "irregular shape," "star-shaped," "heart-shaped," etc.

According to the configuration of means 1, a gaming machine is provided with a gaming board having a functional display unit capable of displaying a gaming state that changes as a gaming ball flows down the gaming area. The functional display unit comprises an LED board having a plurality of LEDs and a cover provided on one side of the LED board in the front-to-back direction. The cover has a dam portion that protrudes from the outer periphery to the other side in the front-to-back direction, and a demolding trace portion is provided on the tip surface of the dam portion. (In the [Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention], see chapter [10-2. Demolding Trace Portions Provided on the Functional Display Unit], the functional display unit 1400, first case 1401, functional display board 1402, second case 1403, demolding trace portion 2519, Figures 124 and 125, etc.)

With this configuration, in the functional display unit capable of displaying the game status that changes as the game ball flows down through the game area, a demolding trace portion is provided on the tip surface of the dam portion of the cover that is provided on one side of the LED board in the front-to-back direction. In other words, because the demolding trace portion is provided on the tip surface of the narrow dam portion of the cover, the demolding trace portion can be made less noticeable. As a result, even if the tip surface of the dam portion of the cover is visible to the player, the demolding trace portion is less noticeable, which reduces the deterioration in appearance caused by the demolding trace portion and prevents the player's interest in the game from decreasing due to the demolding trace portion being visible.

The function indicator may be attached to the mounting member from the rear, and a demolding trace may be provided on the rear surface of the mounting member in a location that overlaps with the function indicator. In this way, since the demolding trace is provided on the rear surface of the mounting member in a location that overlaps with the function indicator, when the function indicator is attached to the mounting member from the rear, the demolding trace on the rear surface of the mounting member is hidden by the function indicator and becomes invisible, making it easier to visually confirm whether the function indicator is securely attached to the mounting member.

Furthermore, when providing a demolding trace portion on the rear surface of the mounting member as described above, the demolding trace portion may be provided on the rear surface of the mounting member so that it is positioned in front of a specific portion of the function indicator (for example, a front wall portion away from the LED hole, an electronic component such as a connector for connecting an LED board, etc.). This allows the function indicator to be oriented correctly relative to the mounting member by ensuring that the demolding trace portion of the mounting member and the specific portion of the function indicator overlap front to back when mounting the function indicator to the mounting member. Therefore, during the manufacture of gaming machines, the function indicator can be assembled in the correct orientation using the demolding trace portion of the mounting member as a guide.

Furthermore, the cover may be a front cover placed in front of the LED board. This means that the tip surface of the dam portion faces backward, and the demolding traces placed on the tip surface cannot be seen by players in front, and the appearance is not marred by the demolding traces.

The cover may also be composed of a front cover provided in front of the LED board and a rear cover provided behind the LED board, with the leading end surface (rear end surface) of the dam portion of the front cover facing the leading end surface (front end surface) of the dam portion of the rear cover. In this way, the demolding traces provided on the leading end surface of each dam portion are hidden by the opposing dam portion, so the demolding traces are not visible to the player and do not detract from the appearance of the function indicator. In this case, when assembled to the function indicator, the demolding traces provided on the leading end surfaces of the dam portions of the front and rear covers are hidden by the opposing dam portion, so whether the function indicator has been assembled correctly can be confirmed by whether the demolding traces on the leading end surfaces of the dam portions are visible.

The cover may also be composed of a front cover provided in front of the LED board and a rear cover provided behind the LED board, with the rear cover inserted inside the area surrounded by the dam section of the front cover. This means that the removal traces provided on the tip surfaces of the dam sections of the front cover and the rear cover cannot be seen by the player in front, and therefore the removal traces do not obscure the appearance of the function display section.

Furthermore, the cover may include a front cover provided in front of the LED board, and the front cover may be provided with windows (LED holes) corresponding to each LED on the LED board. As a result, a demolding trace is provided on the tip surface of the dam portion of the front cover, and the demolding trace is located away from the window. Therefore, even if the front cover is pressed by a demolding mechanism such as an ejector pin when it is injection molded and removed from the mold during manufacture, the window will not deform because the relevant portion (the demolding trace) is away from the window, and light from the LEDs on the LED board can be reliably transmitted. This makes it possible to make the display on the function display unit more visible, reducing player misinterpretation of the display on the function display unit and preventing distrust due to misinterpretation. This allows players to enjoy playing the gaming machine and prevents a decline in interest in the game.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The function display unit is
It is attached to the mounting member from the rear,
The mounting member is
The demolding trace portion is provided at a portion of the rear surface that overlaps with the function display portion.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "mounting member" refers to "a member that constitutes the front of the game board (e.g., a front component member)" or "a member that is attached to the front of a flat game panel (game board) that has a play area in front of it."

According to the configuration of Means 2, the function display unit is attached to the mounting member from the rear, and the mounting member has a demolding trace portion on the rear surface at a location that overlaps with the function display unit (see the description of the function display unit mounting portion 1011 of the component 1000, the function display unit 1400, the demolding trace portion 2519, Figure 124, etc. in the [Embodiment]).

With this configuration, a demolding trace is provided on the rear surface of the mounting member in a location that overlaps with the function indicator. Therefore, when the function indicator is attached to the mounting member from behind, the demolding trace on the rear surface of the mounting member is hidden by the function indicator, making it easier to visually confirm whether the function indicator is securely attached to the mounting member.

In addition, a demolding trace may be provided on the rear surface of the mounting member so that it is positioned in front of a specific portion of the function indicator (for example, the front wall portion away from the LED hole, an electronic component such as an LED board connector, etc.). This allows the function indicator to be oriented correctly relative to the mounting member when mounting the function indicator to the mounting member by ensuring that the demolding trace of the mounting member and the specific portion of the function indicator overlap front to back. Therefore, during the manufacture of gaming machines, the function indicator can be assembled in the correct orientation using the demolding trace of the mounting member as a guide.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce deterioration in the appearance of the functional display unit that displays the game status, thereby preventing a decline in player interest.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
In this embodiment, the front component 1000 of the game board 5 corresponds to the mounting member of the above-mentioned solution means, the function display unit 1400 corresponds to the function display part of the above-mentioned solution means, the first case 1401 and the second case 1403 of the function display unit 1400 in this embodiment correspond to the cover of the above-mentioned solution means, the peripheral wall part 1401e of the first case 1401 and the peripheral wall part 1403b of the second case 1403 in this embodiment correspond to the dam part of the above-mentioned solution means, the function display board 1402 in this embodiment corresponds to the LED board of the above-mentioned solution means, and the demolding trace part 2519 in this embodiment corresponds to the demolding trace part of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to this embodiment, in the functional display unit 1400 capable of displaying the game status that changes as the game ball B flows down the game area 5a of the game board 5, a demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the tip surface of the peripheral wall portion 1401e and the peripheral wall portion 1403b of the first case 1401 and the second case 1403, which are provided on one side in the front-to-rear direction of the functional display substrate 1402. In other words, since the demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the tip surface of the narrow peripheral wall portion 1401e of the first case 1401, etc., the demolding trace portion 2519 can be made less noticeable. As a result, even if the tip surface of the peripheral wall portion 1401e of the first case 1401, etc. is visible to the player, the demolding trace portion 2519 is less noticeable, which reduces the deterioration of the appearance caused by the demolding trace portion 2519, and suppresses a decrease in the player's interest in the game due to the demolding trace portion 2519 being visible.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the function display unit 1400 can be attached to the function display unit mounting portion 1011 of the component 1000 from the rear, and a demolding trace portion 2519 is provided at the portion of the rear surface of the function display unit mounting portion 1011 (accommodation recess 1011a) that overlaps with the function display unit 1400. As a result, when the function display unit 1400 is attached to the function display unit mounting portion 1011 from the rear, the demolding trace portion 2519 on the rear surface of the function display unit mounting portion 1011 is hidden by the function display unit 1400 and cannot be seen, making it easier to visually confirm whether the function display unit 1400 is securely attached to the function display unit mounting portion 1011.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a demolding trace 2519 is provided on the rear surface of the function display unit mounting portion 1011 so as to be positioned in front of a specific portion of the function display unit 1400 (for example, the front wall portion 1401a of the first case 1401, or an electronic component such as the connector 1402b of the function display board 1402, etc.). As a result, when mounting the function display unit 1400 to the function display unit mounting portion 1011, the demolding trace 2519 of the function display unit mounting portion 1011 and the specific portion of the function display unit 1400 are aligned front to back, making it possible to correctly orient the function display unit 1400 relative to the function display unit mounting portion 1011. Therefore, during the manufacture of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), the function display unit 1400 can be assembled in the correct orientation using the demolding trace 2519 of the function display unit mounting portion 1011 as a guide.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the tip surface of the peripheral wall portion 1401e of the first case 1401, which serves as a cover provided in front of the functional display board 1402. As a result, the tip surface of the peripheral wall portion 1401e faces rearward, so the demolding trace portion 2519 provided on its tip surface cannot be seen by players in front, and the demolding trace portion 2519 does not detract from the appearance.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the function display unit 1400, the second case 1403 provided behind the function display board 1402 is inserted together with its peripheral wall 1403b inside the area surrounded by the peripheral wall 1401e of the first case 1401 provided in front of the function display board 1402. As a result, the demolding traces 2519 provided on the tip surfaces of the peripheral wall 1401e of the first case 1401 and the peripheral wall 1403b of the second case 1403 are not visible to the player in front, and therefore the demolding traces 2519 do not detract from the appearance of the function display unit 1400.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the tip surface (rear end surface) of the peripheral wall portion 1401e of the first case 1401 and the tip surface (front end surface) of the peripheral wall portion 1403b of the second case 1403 are arranged to face each other in the functional display unit 1400, the demolding trace portion 2519 provided on the tip surface of each peripheral wall portion 1401e or peripheral wall portion 1403b is hidden by the opposing peripheral wall portion 1403b or peripheral wall portion 1401e, so the demolding trace portion 2519 is not visible to the player, and the appearance of the functional display unit 1400 is not marred by the demolding trace portion 2519. Furthermore, in this case, when assembled to the function display unit 1400, the demolding traces 2519 provided on the tip surfaces of the peripheral wall 1401e of the first case 1401 and the peripheral wall 1403b of the second case 1403 are hidden by the opposing peripheral wall 1403b or peripheral wall 1401e, so it is possible to check whether the function display unit 1400 has been assembled correctly based on whether the demolding traces 2519 on the tip surfaces of the peripheral wall 1401e or peripheral wall 1403b are visible.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the function display unit 1400, a demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the tip surface of the peripheral wall portion 1401e of the first case 1401, and the demolding trace portion 2519 is provided in a position away from the LED hole 1401d. Therefore, during the manufacture of the first case 1401, even if the first case 1401 is pushed by a demolding mechanism such as an ejector pin when it is injection molded and then demolded from the mold, the LED hole 1401d will not deform because the portion (the portion of the demolding trace portion 2519) is away from the LED hole 1401d, and light from the LED 1402a of the function display substrate 1402 can be reliably transmitted. As a result, the display on the function display unit 1400 can be made easier to see, reducing the chance of players misinterpreting the display on the function display unit 1400, preventing players from feeling distrustful due to misinterpretation, allowing players to enjoy playing with this pachinko machine 1 and preventing a decline in interest in playing.

[10-4d. Summary D]
(Background of technical features)
Gaming machines such as pachinko machines are equipped with a gaming board that has a gaming area where games are played by game balls flowing down, and a rail member that guides the game balls into the gaming area (for example, patent document: JP 2019-41871 A).

However, if the game board looks bad, some players may become disillusioned and lose interest in the game.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that reduces the deterioration of the game board's appearance and prevents players from losing interest.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where gaming balls flow down is provided in the front,
The game board is
A ball passage is formed to guide the launched game ball to the upper part of the game area, and a rail member is provided which protrudes forward from the game board and extends up and down along the ball passage,
A demolding trace portion is provided on the rear end surface of the rail member.
It is characterized by:

Here, "rail member" refers to "the inner rail closer to the center of the gaming board," "the outer rail located further outward than the inner rail closer to the center of the gaming board," etc. Furthermore, the rail member may or may not be provided with a backflow prevention valve to prevent gaming balls from flowing back from the playing area into the ball passage.

The "demolding traces" are traces left on the rail member by mechanisms used to remove the rail member from the molding die (metal mold) (e.g., ejector pins, push-up cores, straight-up cores, ejection cores, etc.), and are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to other areas. Possible shapes of these "demolding traces" include "semicircular or similar shapes," "circular," "triangular," "square," "pentagonal," "hexagonal," "polygonal," "irregular shape," "star-shaped," "heart-shaped," etc.

According to the configuration of means 1, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area in front of which gaming balls flow down. The gaming board forms a ball passage that guides launched gaming balls to the upper part of the gaming area, and has a rail member that protrudes forward from the gaming board and extends up and down along the ball passage, with a demolding trace portion provided on the rear end surface of the rail member (see chapter [10-1a. Demolding trace portion provided on inner rail] in [Mode for carrying out the invention], the description of component 1000, outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, Figures 117 to 120, etc.).

With this configuration, the rear end surface of the rail member that guides the game balls to the play area is provided with a demolding trace portion, which makes the demolding trace portion less noticeable to the player on the rail member, which is the part of the game board that the player's line of sight is drawn to. This reduces the deterioration in the appearance of the game board due to the visible demolding trace portion, and prevents the player from losing interest in the game.

In addition, because the rear end surface of the rail member is provided with a demolding trace portion, the game balls do not come into contact with the demolding trace portion of the rail member, and the demolding trace portion does not affect the movement of the game balls. Therefore, the movement of the game balls circulating in the play area does not cause any sense of incongruity or discomfort, allowing players to enjoy the movement of the game balls and preventing a decline in interest.

The gaming board may also be equipped with a backflow prevention valve that prevents game balls from flowing back into the ball passage, and a demolding trace portion may be provided on the backflow prevention valve in a location that does not come into contact with the game balls. This prevents game balls in the play area from flowing back into the ball passage due to the backflow prevention valve, ensuring that the game balls flow down within the play area, allowing players to enjoy playing with the game balls. In this case, because the backflow prevention valve has a demolding trace portion in a location that does not come into contact with the game balls, the demolding trace portion of the backflow prevention valve does not affect the movement of the game balls, allowing players to enjoy the movement of the game balls without feeling any discomfort, preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, when installing a check valve as described above, it is desirable to provide a demolding trace in a location that is difficult for players to see, such as the rear of the check valve. This ensures that the demolding trace does not obscure the appearance of the check valve, and therefore does not detract from the appearance of the game board.

Furthermore, when a check valve is provided as described above, a holder portion that supports the check valve so that it can be opened and closed may be provided on the gaming board, and a demolding trace portion may be provided at a portion of the holder portion that overlaps with the check valve in a predetermined position (closed or open position). For example, if the demolding trace portion of the holder portion overlaps with the check valve when the check valve is in the closed position, the check valve is normally in the closed position, so the check valve and the demolding trace portion of the holder portion overlap, and the presence of the check valve makes the demolding trace portion difficult to see from the player's perspective. On the other hand, when the check valve is in the open position, the demolding trace portion of the holder portion and the check valve do not overlap, making the demolding trace portion easily visible. However, the time the check valve is in the open position is so short that a game ball passes through the check valve, making it difficult to notice the demolding trace portion provided on the holder portion. For this reason, players will not easily notice the removal marks on the holder, and the removal marks will not spoil the appearance of the game board.

Furthermore, as described above, when a holder portion is provided to support the check valve so that it can be opened and closed, the holder portion has a demolding trace portion at a location that overlaps with the check valve in a predetermined position, such as the closed or open position. Therefore, when assembling the game board, the operation of the check valve can be confirmed by operating the check valve and checking whether the check valve overlaps with the demolding trace portion of the holder portion, and the demolding trace portion of the holder portion can be used as a guide for the operation of the check valve.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The game board is
Further, a check valve is provided to prevent the game ball from flowing back into the ball passage.
The mold removal trace portion is provided in a portion of the check valve that does not come into contact with the game ball.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "check valve" may be provided in the rail member, or it may be provided separately from the rail member.

According to the configuration of Means 2, the gaming board further includes a check valve that prevents the game balls from flowing back into the ball passage, and a demolding trace is provided in a portion of the check valve that does not come into contact with the game balls (see the description of the check valve member 1007, ball check unit 1061, Figure 120, etc. in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

This configuration is equipped with a backflow prevention valve that prevents game balls from flowing back into the ball passage, so game balls in the play area will not flow back into the ball passage and can be reliably allowed to flow down within the play area, allowing players to enjoy playing with game balls. Furthermore, this backflow prevention valve has a demolding trace portion in a location that does not come into contact with the game ball, so the demolding trace portion of the backflow prevention valve does not affect the movement of the game ball, allowing players to enjoy the movement of the game ball without feeling any discomfort and preventing a decline in interest.

It is desirable to provide the demolding traces in a location that is difficult for players to see, such as the rear of the check valve. This will ensure that the demolding traces do not obscure the appearance of the check valve, and therefore the appearance of the game board.

Means 3: In the configuration of Means 2,
"The game board is
a holder portion that supports the check valve so that it can be opened and closed;
The holder portion is provided with the demolding trace portion at a portion that overlaps with the check valve at a predetermined position.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, the "holder portion" may be provided on the rail member, or may be provided separately from the rail member.

According to the configuration of means 3, the game board has a holder portion that supports the check valve so that it can be opened and closed, and the holder portion has a demolding trace portion at a location that overlaps with the check valve in a predetermined position (closed position or open position) (see the description of the check valve member 1007, ball check valve unit 1061, Figure 120, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, for example, if the demolding traces on the holder are designed to overlap the check valve when the check valve is in the closed position, the check valve is normally in the closed position, so the check valve and the demolding traces on the holder overlap, and the presence of the check valve makes the demolding traces difficult to see from the player's perspective. On the other hand, when the check valve is in the open position, the check valve and the demolding traces on the holder do not overlap, making the demolding traces more visible. However, the time the check valve is in the open position is only a short time when the game ball passes through the check valve, so the presence of the demolding traces on the holder is difficult to notice. Because the check valve is difficult for players to notice, the demolding traces on the holder do not detract from the appearance of the game board.

In addition, the holder section has a demolding trace section at a location that overlaps with the check valve in a predetermined position, such as the closed or open position. Therefore, when assembling the game board, the operation of the check valve can be confirmed by operating the check valve and checking whether the check valve overlaps with the demolding trace section on the holder section, and the demolding trace section on the holder section can be used as a guide for the operation of the check valve.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce the deterioration of the appearance of the gaming board and prevent a decline in player interest.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000 in the game board 5 of this embodiment correspond to the rail members of the above-mentioned solution means, the passage formed by the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball passage of the above-mentioned solution means, the backflow prevention member 1007 in this embodiment corresponds to the backflow prevention valve of the above-mentioned solution means, the accommodating recess 1061a of the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 in this embodiment corresponds to the holder portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, and the demolding trace portion 2519 in this embodiment corresponds to the demolding trace portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the rear end surface of the inner rail 1002 that guides the game ball B to the game area 5a, and therefore the demolding trace portion 2519 can be made less noticeable to the player on the inner rail 1002, which is the part of the game board 5 that the player's line of sight is directed to. This reduces the deterioration in the appearance of the game board 5 caused by the demolding trace portion 2519 of the inner rail 1002 being visible, and suppresses a decrease in the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the rear end surface of the inner rail 1002, so the game ball B does not come into contact with the demolding trace portion 2519 of the inner rail 1002, and the demolding trace portion 2519 does not affect the movement of the game ball B. Therefore, the movement of the game ball B circulating in the play area 5a does not cause any sense of incongruity or discomfort, and the movement of the game ball B can be enjoyed, preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the backflow prevention member 1007 prevents game ball B from flowing back into the ball passage formed by the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002. This prevents game ball B in the play area 5a from flowing back into the space between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002, ensuring that game ball B flows down within the play area 5a, allowing players to enjoy playing with game ball B. Furthermore, since the backflow prevention member 1007 has a demolding trace portion 2519 in a location that does not come into contact with game ball B, the demolding trace portion 2519 of the backflow prevention member 1007 does not affect the movement of game ball B, allowing players to enjoy the movement of game ball B without feeling any discomfort and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the demolding trace portion 2519 is provided in a location that is difficult for players to see, such as the rear surface of the backflow prevention member 1007. Therefore, the demolding trace portion 2519 does not detract from the appearance of the backflow prevention member 1007, and therefore does not detract from the appearance of the game board 5.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the backflow prevention member 1007 is in the closed position, the demolding trace portion 2519 of the storage recess 1061a in the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 overlaps with the backflow prevention member 1007. Normally, the backflow prevention member 1007 is in the closed position, so the backflow prevention member 1007 and the demolding trace portion 2519 of the storage recess 1061a overlap, and the presence of the backflow prevention member 1007 makes the demolding trace portion 2519 difficult to see from the player's side. On the other hand, when the backflow prevention member 1007 is in the open position, the demolding trace 2519 of the storage recess 1061a does not overlap with the backflow prevention member 1007, making the demolding trace 2519 more visible. However, the time that the backflow prevention member 1007 is in the open position is only a short time for the game ball B to pass through the backflow prevention member 1007, so it is difficult to notice the presence of the demolding trace 2519 on the storage recess 1061a. For this reason, it is difficult for a player to notice the demolding trace 2519 on the storage recess 1061a, and the demolding trace 2519 does not spoil the appearance of the game board 5.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the storage recess 1061a of the ball backflow prevention unit 1061 has a demolding trace portion 2519 at a location that overlaps with the backflow prevention member 1007 in a predetermined position, such as the closed position or open position. Therefore, when assembling the game board 5, the backflow prevention member 1007 can be operated to check whether it overlaps with the demolding trace portion 2519 of the storage recess 1061a, thereby confirming the operation of the backflow prevention member 1007. The demolding trace portion 2519 of the storage recess 1061a can be used as a guide for the operation of the backflow prevention member 1007.

[10-4e. Summary E]
(Background of technical features)
Gaming machines such as pachinko machines are equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played by game balls flowing down, and a certificate stamp displaying information about the gaming machine (gaming board) is attached to the gaming board (for example, Patent Document: JP 2022-49227 A). In this type of gaming machine, in addition to the certificate stamp, a model sticker and a specification sticker displaying the model and specifications of the gaming board are also attached to the gaming board.

However, if the content displayed on specific stickers such as certificate stamps and specification stickers is difficult to see, some players may become disillusioned with the gaming machine and lose interest in playing the game.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that makes it possible to easily see displays using specific stickers such as certificate stamps, thereby preventing a decline in player interest.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where gaming balls flow down,
The game board is
The front component constituting the outer periphery of the play area is provided with a sticker base that can be attached and detached from the front, and a specific sticker can be attached to the front surface.
The seal base is
A demolding trace is provided on the rear surface, and a protrusion is provided that protrudes rearward beyond the demolding trace.
It is characterized by:

Here, "front component" refers to "a component attached to the front of a flat gaming panel (game board) with a play area in front of it," "a component provided with a rail component such as an outer rail that divides the play area," "a component formed integrally with a flat gaming panel (game board) with a play area in front of it," etc.

Further examples of "specific stickers" include "certificate stamps that display information about the gaming machine (game board), such as the manufacturer's name (name of manufacturer), serial number, and type of gaming board," "spec stickers that display information about the gaming board's specifications, such as the probability of a jackpot, number of winning balls, number of jackpot rounds, and count number," "copyright stickers that display information about the gaming machine's (game board's) copyright," and "AM stickers that display information about the gaming machine's (game board's) certification."

Furthermore, examples of detachable "seal bases" include "those that are detachable by engaging a locking claw" and "those that are detachable by using mounting screws."

The "demolding traces" are traces left on the seal base by a mechanism (e.g., ejector pin, push-up core, straight-up core, ejection core, etc.) used to remove the seal base from the molding die (metal mold), and are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to other areas. Possible shapes of these "demolding traces" include "semicircular or similar shapes," "circular," "triangle," "square," "pentagon," "hexagon," "polygon," "irregular shape," "star shape," "heart shape," etc.

Furthermore, examples of the "protrusion" of the seal base include "pillar-shaped protrusions," "rib-shaped protrusions," "lattice-shaped protrusions," and "wall-shaped (dam-shaped) protrusions."

According to the configuration of Means 1, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where gaming balls flow down. The gaming board is detachably attached from the front to a front component that forms the outer periphery of the gaming area, and has a sticker base on the front surface to which a specific sticker can be affixed. The sticker base has a demolding trace portion on its rear surface and a protrusion that protrudes rearward beyond the demolding trace portion (see the description of chapter [10-1. Demolding Trace Portion Attached to the Front Component], the front component 1000, the stamp attachment portion 1012, the gaming board first information display portion 1015, the demolding trace portion 2519, Figures 121 and 122 in the [Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, on a gaming board with a play area where games are played using gaming balls, a demolding trace is provided on the rear surface of the sticker base to which special stickers such as certificate stamps are affixed, so there are no irregularities on the front surface of the sticker base due to the demolding trace. This prevents the special stickers affixed to the front surface of the sticker base from becoming uneven or wrinkled due to the demolding trace, making the display of the special stickers easier to see and preventing a loss of interest for the player.

In addition, because the rear surface of the seal base has a protrusion that protrudes further rearward than the demolding trace, the demolding trace of the seal base does not come into contact with the rear component, and rattles due to contact with the demolding trace do not occur. Therefore, even if some vibration is transmitted to the seal base, the seal base will not rattle, and the markings of the specific seal affixed to the seal base can be clearly seen.

It is desirable for the protrusions to be ribbed, lattice-shaped, or wall-shaped, extending along the rear surface of the seal base. This increases the strength and rigidity of the seal base, reducing distortion of the seal base due to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity, or changes over time, and allowing the display using the specific seal to be maintained in good condition for an extended period of time.

It is also desirable that the specific seal affixed to the seal base prevents access to the parts where the seal base is detachably attached (for example, locking claws, mounting screws, etc.). This means that when removing the seal base from the gaming board during assembly or recycling, the specific seal affixed to the seal base must be peeled off or torn off, leaving traces of the seal base's removal, making it possible to determine whether the product is a defective or reused item, and because the specific seal must be torn off to remove the seal base, there are no concerns about the specific seal (certificate stamp).

The mold removal trace portion of the sticker base may also be located in a position that does not overlap the specific sticker in the front-to-back direction, in other words, in a position that is not hidden by the specific sticker. This makes it possible for the mold removal trace portion to indicate the position where the specific sticker should be affixed.

Alternatively, the sticker base can be made of a transparent material, and the removal trace portion can be provided in a location that overlaps the specific sticker in the front-to-back direction. In this way, when a specific sticker is attached to the front of the sticker base, the removal trace portion of the sticker base is hidden by the specific sticker and cannot be seen from the front. However, when a specific sticker is not attached, the removal trace portion is visible, making it possible to notice that a specific sticker has been forgotten to be attached when assembling the game board.

Furthermore, the seal base may have a protruding portion at least along its outer periphery. In other words, the seal base may have a wall-like protruding portion (dam portion, peripheral wall portion, etc.) that protrudes from the outer periphery rearward beyond the demolding traces. This achieves the same effects as above, and the protruding portion reinforces the outer periphery of the seal base, increasing its strength and rigidity. This reduces distortion of the seal base due to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity, or changes over time, and allows the display of the specific seal to be maintained in good condition for an extended period of time.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The seal base is
The protrusions are provided at least along the outer periphery.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 2, the seal base has a protrusion provided at least along the outer periphery (see the description of the certificate stamp base 1012b, first information seal base 1016, Figures 121 and 122 in the [Embodiment]).

According to this configuration, the protrusion of the seal base is provided along the outer periphery. In other words, the seal base is provided with a wall-like protrusion (dam portion, peripheral wall portion, etc.) that protrudes from the outer periphery rearward beyond the demolding trace portion. This not only achieves the same effects as above, but also allows the protrusion to reinforce the outer periphery of the seal base, increasing the strength and rigidity of the seal base. This reduces distortion of the seal base due to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity, or changes over time, and allows the display using the specific seal to be maintained in good condition for an extended period of time.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that makes displays using special stickers such as certificate stamps easier to see, thereby preventing a decline in player interest.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The certificate stamp base 1012b, first information sticker base 1016, second information sticker base 1021, and third information sticker base 1026 in the game board 5 of this embodiment correspond to the sticker bases of the above-mentioned solving means, the certificate stamp 1012d, first information sticker 1017, second information sticker 1022, and third information sticker 1027 in this embodiment correspond to the specific stickers of the above-mentioned solving means, the peripheral wall portion 1012c and protrusion portion 1016e in this embodiment correspond to the protrusion of the above-mentioned solving means, and the demolding trace portion 2519 in this embodiment corresponds to the demolding trace portion of the above-mentioned solving means.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the game board 5 having the play area 5a where play is performed with the game ball B, the sticker bases (certificate stamp base 1012b, first information sticker base 1016) to which specific stickers such as the certificate stamp 1012d and the first information sticker 1017 are affixed have a removal trace portion 2519 on the rear surface thereof, so that the front surface of the sticker base is free of unevenness due to the removal trace portion 2519. As a result, the certificate stamp 1012d and the first information sticker 1017 affixed to the front surface of the certificate stamp base 1012b and the first information sticker base 1016 do not develop unevenness or wrinkles due to the removal trace portion, making it possible to make the display of the certificate stamp 1012d and the first information sticker 1017 more easily visible and preventing a decrease in the player's interest.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear surfaces of the certificate stamp base 1012b and the first information sticker base 1016 are provided with peripheral wall portions 1012c and protrusions 1016e that protrude further rearward than the demolding trace portions 2519. This prevents the demolding trace portions 2519 of the certificate stamp base 1012b and the first information sticker base 1016 from coming into contact with rear components, and prevents rattles from occurring due to contact of the demolding trace portions 2519. Therefore, even if some vibration is transmitted to the certificate stamp base 1012b or the first information sticker base 1016, the certificate stamp base 1012b and the first information sticker base 1016 will not rattle, and the display of the certificate stamp 1012d and the first information sticker 1017 affixed to the certificate stamp base 1012b and the first information sticker base 1016 can be clearly seen.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the certificate stamp base 1012b and the first information sticker base 1016 are provided with a wall-shaped peripheral wall portion 1012c and a grid-shaped protrusion portion 1016e, which increases the strength and rigidity of the certificate stamp base 1012b and the first information sticker base 1016. This reduces distortion of the certificate stamp base 1012b and the first information sticker base 1016 due to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity, and changes over time, and allows the display on the certificate stamp 1012d and the first information sticker 1017 to be maintained in good condition for an extended period of time.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the access to the mounting screw that detachably attaches the certificate stamp base 1012b is obstructed by the certificate stamp 1012d affixed to the certificate stamp base 1012b. Therefore, when removing the certificate stamp base 1012b from the gaming board 5 during assembly or recycling of the gaming board 5, it is necessary to peel off or tear off the certificate stamp 1012d affixed to the certificate stamp base 1012b. This leaves traces of the removal of the certificate stamp base 1012b, making it possible to determine whether the product is a defective or reused item, and there is no concern about the certificate stamp 1012d being torn.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the certificate stamp base 1012b and the first information sticker base 1016 are made of transparent materials, and the removal trace portion 2519 is provided in a portion that overlaps the certificate stamp 1012d and the first information sticker 1017 in the front-to-back direction. As a result, when the certificate stamp 1012d or the first information sticker 1017 is affixed to the front of the certificate stamp base 1012b or the first information sticker base 1016, the removal trace portion 2519 of the certificate stamp base 1012b or the first information sticker base 1016 is hidden by the certificate stamp 1012d or the first information sticker 1017 and cannot be seen from the front. However, when the certificate stamp 1012d or the first information sticker 1017 is not affixed, the removal trace portion 2519 is visible, making it possible to notice that the certificate stamp 1012d or the first information sticker 1017 has been forgotten to be affixed when assembling the gaming board 5.

[11. Other]
[11-1. External mounting functional part]
Next, the specific screw portion 521 (expansion area 520) as an external mounting functional portion of the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to Figures 127 to 130. Figure 127 is an explanatory diagram showing the lower back of a pachinko machine equipped with a specific screw portion. Figure 128(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the area where multiple specific screw portions are provided on the lower back of the pachinko machine, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in (a). Figure 129 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which a pachinko machine is mounted on the island equipment of an amusement hall and the wire of an opening prevention device is attached to the specific screw portion. Figure 130(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which molding marks are provided as a specific portion near the specific screw portion, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which an inscription is provided as a specific portion near the specific screw portion, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a sticker is affixed as a specific portion near the specific screw portion.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, multiple expansion areas 520 (areas surrounded by two-dot chain lines in Figure 127) are provided in a region above the lower frame body 14 of the outer frame 2 on the rear surface of the main body frame 4, and on the opposite side of the left-right center from the door frame hinge mechanism 110 (the open side, the side where the lock unit 780 is provided, the right frame body 12 side). The expansion areas 520 are areas that are larger than the object to which they are attached (for example, the mounting bracket 6c described below).

Each of the multiple expansion regions 520 is provided with a specific screw portion 521 consisting of a hole (screw hole) that opens to the rear (see Figure 127, etc.). A specific screw 522 is screwed into each specific screw portion 521 (see Figure 128). Each expansion region 520 is also provided with a protrusion 523 that protrudes rearward from near the specific screw portion 521. The protrusion 523 extends in the left-right and up-down directions.

In this embodiment, the multiple expansion areas 520 are provided at different positions in the left-right direction. The multiple expansion areas 520 are also provided at different positions in the up-down direction. The multiple expansion areas 520 are also provided at different positions in the front-to-back direction.

Specifically, the first expansion area 520a is located to the right of the ball lifting mechanism 660 of the ball lifting unit 650 in a rear view (closer to the center of the main body frame 4 in the left-right direction), is at approximately the same height as the bottom end of the ball lifting mechanism 660 in the up-down direction, and is located rearward of the outer frame 2 in the front-to-rear direction. The first expansion area 520a is located a distance L1 rearward from the rear surface of the outer frame 2. In this first expansion area 520a, a protrusion 523 above the specific screw portion 521 protrudes rearward beyond the head of the specific screw 522. The left-to-right length of the protrusion 523 is w1.

The second expansion area 520b is located to the left of the ball lifting unit 650 in a rear view (closer to the open side of the main frame 4, which is to the left of the first expansion area 520a in a rear view), above the first expansion area 520a and at approximately the same height as the ball lifting inlet passage 651, and forward of the first expansion area 520a and near the center of the outer frame 2 in the front-to-rear direction. The second expansion area 520b is located a distance L2 forward from the rear surface of the outer frame 2. In this second expansion area 520b, the protrusion 523 is arranged to surround the specific screw portion 521 and protrudes rearward shorter (lower) than the head of the specific screw 522. The left-to-right length w2 of the protrusion 523 in the second expansion area 520b is shorter than the left-to-right length w1 of the protrusion 523 in the first expansion area 520a. In other words, the protrusions 523 in the first expansion region 520a and the protrusions 523 in the second expansion region 520b have different lengths in the left-right direction and the front-to-back direction.

The third expansion area 520c is located to the left of the ball lifting unit 650 in a rear view, between the first and second expansion areas 520a and 520b, below the second expansion area 520b and slightly higher than the first expansion area 520a, and behind the second expansion area 520b and forward of the rear end of the outer frame 2. The third expansion area 520c is located a distance L3 forward from the rear surface of the outer frame 2, which is shorter than the distance L2 from the rear surface of the outer frame 2 to the second expansion area 520b.

In this embodiment, multiple expansion areas 520 are provided on the rear surface of the box main body portion 504b and the rear surface of the box expansion portion 504c in the main body frame speaker box 504 of the main body frame 4. The specific screws 522 are also seat screws.

Next, the function of the external mounting functional part (specific screw part 521) in an amusement hall will be explained with reference to Figure 129 and other figures in this embodiment. First, in an amusement hall, a pachinko machine 1 is installed by attaching an outer frame 2 to an island equipment IF. A door frame 3 and a main frame 4 to which a game board 5 is attached are each attached to the outer frame 2 attached to the island equipment IF so that they can be opened and closed. Therefore, by opening (opening) the main frame 4 forward relative to the outer frame 2 attached to the island equipment IF, it becomes possible to access the frame board unit 730 (frame control board 740) attached to the rear surface of the main frame 4, the main control unit 1300 (main control board 1310) attached to the rear surface of the game board 5, and the like.

As a countermeasure against fraudulent activity involving the frame base unit 730 and main control unit 1300, amusement halls install an opening prevention device 6 that prevents unauthorized opening of the main body frame 4. A known opening prevention device 6 has a container-shaped main body 6a and a wire 6b extending outward from the main body 6a, with a mounting bracket 6c attached to the end of the wire 6b. This type of opening prevention device 6 comprises a container-shaped main body 6a and a wire 6b extending outward from the main body 6a. The main body 6a is attached to the island equipment IF side, and the mounting bracket 6c at the end of the wire 6b is attached to the rear surface of the main body frame 4, preventing the main body frame 4 from opening forward by the wire 6b.

More specifically, the opening prevention device 6 comprises a container-shaped main body 6a attached to the island equipment IF, a wire 6b with its tip extending outward from the main body 6a, a mounting bracket 6c attached to the tip of the wire 6b, a take-up reel (not shown) provided within the main body 6a for winding up the wire 6b, a spiral spring (not shown) that biases the take-up reel to rotate in the direction of winding up the wire 6b, and a lock solenoid (not shown) provided within the main body 6a that can prevent rotation of the take-up reel. In this embodiment, the main body 6a is attached to the rear surface of the island equipment IF.

The mounting bracket 6c at the tip of the wire 6b of the opening prevention device 6 has a mounting hole, and the mounting bracket 6c is attached to the specific screw portion 521 via the specific screw 522 through the mounting hole.

When the lock solenoid is de-energized (locked), the opening prevention device 6 prevents the take-up reel from rotating in the direction that unwinds the wire 6b. When the lock solenoid is energized (unlocked), the take-up reel is allowed to rotate in the direction that unwinds the wire 6b. Note that the take-up reel can rotate in the direction that winds up the wire 6b regardless of whether the lock solenoid is energized or not. With the mounting bracket 6c at the end of the wire 6b attached to the rear face of the main frame 4, the opening prevention device 6 closes the main frame 4 and locks the rotation of the take-up reel with the locking mechanism, thereby preventing the wire 6b from being unwound and preventing the main frame 4 from opening relative to the outer frame 2.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 129, when the pachinko machine 1 is attached to the island equipment IF of an amusement hall, of the three expansion areas 520, the first expansion area 520a is located behind the rear surface of the island equipment IF, and the second expansion area 520b and the third expansion area 520c are located ahead of the rear surface of the island equipment IF.

If the mounting bracket 6c of the opening prevention device 6 is attached to the specific screw portion 521 of the expansion region 520 (here, the first expansion region 520a), which is located behind the main body 6a, and the main body frame 4 is moved in the opening direction (hinge rotation) relative to the outer frame 2, the distance between the first expansion region 520a (mounting bracket 6c) and the main body 6a of the opening prevention device 6 will initially shorten and then lengthen. This causes the main body frame 4 to move until the wire 6b is pulled in the direction of being unwound from the main body 6a, opening the main body frame 4 to a certain extent and creating a gap between it and the outer frame 2. If the wire 6b is then cut through this gap, the opening prevention device 6 will be disabled and will no longer be able to prevent fraudulent activity.

To address the above-mentioned issues, this embodiment provides multiple expansion regions 520 at different positions in the front-to-rear direction, and the mounting bracket 6c at the end of the wire 6b in the opening prevention device 6 is attached to the second expansion region 520b (or the third expansion region 520c), which is located forward of the main body 6a attached to the rear surface of the island equipment IF. As a result, when the main body frame 4 is moved in the opening direction, the distance between the second expansion region 520b (mounting bracket 6c) and the main body 6a immediately tends to increase, pulling the wire 6b in the direction of being unwound from the main body 6a. However, in the opening prevention device 6, the lock solenoid prevents the wire 6b from being unwound, preventing the hinge from rotating in the opening direction of the main body frame 4. This prevents the main body frame 4 from opening and prevents fraudulent activity.

In addition, the second expansion region 520b has a protrusion 523 that protrudes rearward near the specific screw portion 521. Therefore, even if the mounting bracket 6c is pulled via the wire 6b and attempts to rotate around the axis of the specific screw portion 521, the mounting bracket 6c abuts against the protrusion 523, preventing rotation. This prevents the specific screw 522 from loosening relative to the specific screw portion 521, and prevents the mounting bracket 6c from coming off.

In addition, in this second expansion region 520b, the protrusion 523 protrudes rearward and lower than the head of the specific screw 522, so even if the protrusion 523 is located below the specific screw portion 521, the wire 6b will not come into contact with the protrusion 523.

Note that since the sizes of island equipment IFs vary, for example, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 129, if the rear surface of the island equipment IF (main body 6a of the opening prevention device 6) is located further rearward than the first expansion region 520a, the mounting bracket 6c of the wire 6b may be attached to the first expansion region 520a. In this case, the first expansion region 520a has a protrusion 523 above the specific screw portion 521, which prevents the mounting bracket 6c from rotating and prevents the wire 6b from coming into contact with the protrusion 523.

However, depending on the pachinko machine 1 or island equipment IF, the position where the main body 6a of the opening prevention device 6 can be attached may be limited. Because the attachment position of the main body 6a is limited, depending on the attachment position of the mounting bracket 6c relative to the attachment position of the main body 6a, the wire 6b may come into contact with other components, potentially damaging the wire 6b or other components and causing malfunctions. In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, multiple expansion areas 520 are provided at different positions not only in the front-to-back direction but also in the left-to-right and up-to-down direction. This allows the optimally positioned expansion area 520 to be selected relative to the attachment position of the main body 6a of the opening prevention device 6, and the mounting bracket 6c can be attached to that expansion area 520. This prevents the wire 6b from coming into contact with other components, making it possible to accommodate a variety of pachinko machines 1 and island equipment IF configurations.

Here, conventional pachinko machines do not have a dedicated area (expansion area) for attaching the mounting bracket 6c of the opening prevention device 6. Therefore, the amusement hall where the pachinko machine is installed would attach the mounting bracket 6c to an appropriate location on the rear of the main frame. Specifically, the existing mounting screws used to attach a specific component would be removed and then the mounting bracket 6c would be used to fasten the mounting bracket 6c together, or a new mounting screw would be used to attach the mounting bracket 6c to the rear of a circuit board box or other device. However, when the mounting bracket 6c is fastened together, removing the existing mounting screws can change the mounting condition of the component attached by the mounting screws, potentially resulting in malfunctions. For example, if the mounting screws used to attach the ball lifting unit 650 are removed and then the mounting bracket 6c is fastened together, the mounting condition of the ball lifting unit 650 may change once the mounting screws are removed, or the mounting strength of the mounting screws may be reduced by fastening the mounting bracket 6c together, potentially changing the mounting condition of the ball lifting unit 650, potentially resulting in an inability to circulate game balls B.

On the other hand, if the mounting bracket 6c is attached to the rear of the circuit board box or the like, and the main frame is pulled forward strongly while the wire 6b is locked, the circuit board box may be damaged, making it impossible to play.

In response to the above-mentioned problems, this embodiment provides multiple expansion areas 520 with specific screw portions 521 to which the mounting bracket 6c of the opening prevention device 6 can be attached. This eliminates the need to remove existing mounting screws that attach other components and fasten them together, or to use new mounting screws to attach the mounting bracket 6c to a circuit board box, etc., as was previously required.

Furthermore, because a specific screw 522 (here, a washer screw) that has a different form from the mounting screws used to attach other components is attached (threaded) into the specific threaded portion 521 in the expansion region 520, the location where the mounting bracket 6c is to be attached (the location in the expansion region 520) can be easily identified by looking at the specific screw 522, and there is no need to prepare a new mounting screw to attach the mounting bracket 6c. Furthermore, because the specific screw 522 is a washer screw, the contact area with the object to be attached (mounting bracket 6c) can be increased, making it less likely to scratch the object to be attached and increasing the fixing strength.

Furthermore, because multiple expansion areas 520 are provided in the main frame speaker box 504, even if the main frame 4 is pulled forward strongly and the specific screw portion 521 (main frame speaker box 504) is damaged, only the main frame speaker box 504 is affected, and there is almost no impact on gameplay with this pachinko machine 1. Note that while this embodiment shows multiple expansion areas 520 (specific screw portions 521) provided in the main frame speaker box 504, this is not limited to this, and the specific screw portion 521 may also be provided in the main frame base 501, lock unit 780, etc.

Furthermore, because multiple expansion areas 520 are located below the frame substrate unit 730 of the main frame 4 (the lower part of the main frame 4) on the rear surface of the main frame speaker box 504, fraudulent acts such as cutting or removing the wire 6b of the opening prevention device 6 can be prevented. Specifically, the expansion areas 520 are located in a position (the lower part of the main frame 4) that is difficult to see even when the main frame 4 is open, and the frame substrate unit 730 located above the expansion areas 520 can function as a "member that conceals the expansion areas 520" when viewed from above from the outside. In other words, the expansion areas 520 are difficult to see even when viewed from above from the outside when the main frame 4 is open. This makes it difficult to determine the location of the expansion areas 520, i.e., the wire 6b (mounting bracket 6c, specific screw 522) attached to the expansion areas 520, and also prevents fraudulent acts such as cutting or removing the wire 6b of the opening prevention device 6.

In the above embodiment, the specific screw portion 521 in the expansion region 520 is shown as not being involved in the attachment of components constituting the pachinko machine 1. However, this is not limited to this, and the specific screw portion 521' may be involved in the attachment of a component (see FIG. 128(a)). In this case, the component maintains its attached state even if the attachment screw (specific screw 522) of the specific screw portion 521' is removed. Specifically, the component may be attached using multiple attachment screws, including a specific screw, or positioned using a positioning pin, etc. As with the above, it is desirable to thread (attach) a specific screw 522 of a different shape to the other attachment screws into such a specific screw portion 521'. When attaching a mounting bracket 6c to this specific screw portion 521', the specific screw 522 is removed from the specific screw portion 521', and then the specific screw 522 is used to fasten the mounting bracket 6c together with the component.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the extension area 520 (external attachment function) is shown as being attached to the mounting bracket 6c at the tip of the wire 6b in the opening prevention device 6, but this is not limited to this. For example, it may also be possible to attach an earth wire to the hole side. In this case, the area where the extension area 520 (specific screw portion 521) is provided is preferably a metal area or a metal-plated area, but it may also be a non-metal area such as synthetic resin as a countermeasure against static electricity.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the specific screw 522, which is a washer screw with a different shape from the other mounting screws, was shown as the specific part indicating the location of the expansion region 520 (specific screw part 521). However, this is not limited to this, and the specific part may be a mounting screw with a different color or shape from the other mounting screws, or may be a specific part such as that shown in FIG. 130. Alternatively, the type of screw (e.g., pan head screw, flat head screw, hex head screw (hex bolt), hex socket screw, etc.) may be different for each expansion region 520. Furthermore, the screw diameter and pitch may be the same, so that the screws can be attached to different expansion regions 520. This increases the flexibility of selection on the hole side.

More specifically, in the example of Figure 130(a), molding marks 524 are provided as a specific portion near the specific screw portion 521. Here, molding marks 524 include "extrusion marks (demolding marks) left on the product by a mechanism (e.g., ejector pin, push-up core, direct lift core, ejection core, etc.) for removing the product from the molding die (metal mold) after it has been molded using the die," "injection port (gate) marks used to inject molten resin into the mold," and "parting lines left by the cut surfaces of the injection molding die." This makes it easy to identify the position of the specific screw portion 521 using the molding marks 524.

In the example of Figure 130(b), a marking 525 is provided as a specific part near the specific screw part 521. This marking 525 is formed by a molding die when molding the member in which the specific screw part 521 is provided. Examples of the marking 525 include arrows, symbols, letters, etc. This makes it easy to identify the position of the specific screw part 521 by using the marking 525. The marking 525 may be recessed or protruding. If the marking 525 is protruding, the marking 525 may also have the function of the protruding part 523.

Furthermore, the example in Figure 130(c) shows a sticker 526 affixed as an identifying part near the specific screw part 521. This sticker 526 may have letters, arrows, symbols, etc. written on it to indicate the specific screw part 521, or it may have no letters written on it and may simply be colored a different color from the component. This makes it easy to identify the position of the specific screw part 521 using the sticker 526.

[11-2. Characteristics of specific general-purpose components 1]
Next, feature 1 of the specific general-purpose component in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 131 to 133. Figure 131(a) is a rear view of a partition member that constitutes part of the front component of the game board, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of the partition member in (a) in a perspective view from behind together with a transparent game panel, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the relationship between the partition member and the game panel. Figure 132(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional view of an example of the partition member in Figure 131 in which no separate component is provided inside the recess, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional view of an example in which a separate component is provided inside the recess, as compared to (a). Figure 133(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the relationship between a partition member having a step between the outer wall and inner wall and the reinforcing wall and a game panel, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the relationship between a partition member having an outer wall extending rearward and no step between the inner wall and the reinforcing wall and a game panel, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the relationship between a partition member having an outer wall extending rearward and a step between the inner wall and the reinforcing wall and a game panel.

Here, we will explain the specific general-purpose component by taking as an example a partition member 1070, which is part of the previous component 1000 that partitions the outer edge of the play area 5a on the game board 5. The partition member 1070 shown in Figure 131 has the upper parts of the outer rail 1001 and the right rail 1005, and an impact stop portion 1006. Note that the partition member 1070 shown in Figure 131 is a different embodiment from the previous component 1000 shown in Figure 79, etc.

The partition member 1070 has an outer wall 1071 that forms the outer edge, an inner wall 1072 that is located closer to the play area 5a than the outer wall 1071, and a reinforcing wall 1073 that is located to connect the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072. The rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 is located on the same plane as the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072. Therefore, there is no step between the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 and the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072.

The partition member 1070 also has a front wall 1074 that connects the front end of the outer wall 1071 and the front end of the inner wall 1072. Furthermore, the partition member 1070 has multiple recesses 1075 that are surrounded by the outer wall 1071, the inner wall 1072, the reinforcing wall 1073, and the front wall 1074. The recesses 1075 are open to the rear.

As shown by the hatched area in Figure 131, this partitioning member 1070 has multiple demolding traces 2519 on its rear surface as specific traces. Here, the demolding traces 2519 refer to extrusion traces left on a product by a mechanism (e.g., an ejector pin, a push-up core, a straight-up core, an ejection core, etc.) used to remove a product from a molding die (metal mold) after the product has been molded using the die. The demolding traces 2519 are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to adjacent flat areas. The partitioning member 1070 of this embodiment has demolding traces 2519 on the rear surfaces of the outer wall 1071, inner wall 1072, and front wall 1074. The reinforcing wall 1073 does not have demolding traces 2519.

As shown in Figure 131(a) and other figures, the demolding traces 2519 provided on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 of the partition member 1070 are semicircular, with the arc portion of the semicircular shape facing the inner wall 1072. The chord portion of the demolding traces 2519 on the outer wall 1071 is provided on the edge opposite the inner wall 1072. Some of the demolding traces 2519 on the outer wall 1071 are provided near the connection between the outer wall 1071 and the reinforcing wall 1073. The radius of the semicircular demolding traces 2519 on the outer wall 1071 is approximately the same as the thickness of the outer wall 1071. Circular demolding traces 2519 are provided on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 in a region wider than the thickness of the outer wall 1071.

As shown in Figure 131(a) and other figures, the demolding trace portion 2519 provided on the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 of the partition member 1070 is semicircular, with the arc portion of the semicircular shape facing the outer wall 1071. The demolding trace portion 2519 of the inner wall 1072 has a semicircular chord portion provided on the edge opposite the outer wall 1071. Some of the demolding trace portions 2519 provided on the inner wall 1072 are provided near the connection between the inner wall 1072 and the reinforcing wall 1073. The radius of the semicircular demolding trace portion 2519 provided on the inner wall 1072 is approximately the same as the thickness of the inner wall 1072.

As shown in FIG. 131 and other figures, the demolding traces 2519 provided on the rear surface of the front wall 1074 of the partition member 1070 are circular. The demolding traces 2519 on the front wall 1074 are provided so as to follow the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072. Furthermore, some of the demolding traces 2519 on the front wall 1074 are provided on both sides of the reinforcing wall 1073. In other words, the demolding traces 2519 are provided on the rear surface of the front wall 1074 at symmetrical or nearly symmetrical positions with the reinforcing wall 1073 in between. The demolding traces 2519 on the front wall 1074 are circular with a radius 1 to 2.5 times the radius of the semicircular demolding traces 2519 on the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072.

As shown in Figure 131 (b), this partition member 1070 is provided on the front side of the transparent gaming panel 1100, and the back surface of the partition member 1070 and the demolding traces 2519 can be seen from behind the gaming panel 1100. As a result, when manufacturing the gaming board 5, the mounting position and mounting orientation of the partition member 1070 can be confirmed by looking at the demolding traces 2519 of the partition member 1070 through the transparent gaming panel 1100.

The partition member 1070 of this embodiment does not have a demolding trace portion 2519 on the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. This prevents the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 from being pressed and deformed by an ejector pin or the like when molding the partition member 1070, thereby minimizing damage during molding and preventing the partition member 1070 from becoming unattractive. Therefore, even if a game ball B circulating through the play area 5a comes into contact with the partition member 1070, the game ball B will not behave differently from the design, which will not cause distrust among players and allow them to enjoy playing with this pachinko machine 1.

In addition, the partition member 1070 of this embodiment is provided with a reinforcing wall 1073 connecting the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072. This reinforcing wall 1073 increases strength and rigidity, and the inner wall 1072 will not deform or break even if the game ball B comes into contact with it.

Furthermore, the partition member 1070 of this embodiment has demolding traces 2519 near the connection portions with the reinforcing wall 1073 on the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072. In other words, when the partition member 1070 is demolded from the molding die, the portions near the connection portions with the reinforcing wall 1073 on the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072 are pressed by an ejector pin or the like. This allows the reinforcing wall 1073 and other parts to be smoothly removed from the mold even without pressing on the rear end surfaces of the reinforcing wall 1073, thereby minimizing damage during molding.

In addition, the partitioning member 1070 of this embodiment has demolding traces 2519 on each of the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072, with the semicircular arc portions facing the other side. In other words, the semicircular demolding traces 2519 become wider as they approach the product surface (surface) of the partitioning member 1070, which is visible from the outside. As a result, when the partitioning member 1070 is manufactured and demolded from the molding die, the product surface side of the rear end face is pressed with sufficient force by an ejector pin or the like, allowing it to be removed cleanly from the die. This prevents the appearance of the partitioning member 1070 from being compromised and also suppresses damage such as deformation.

In addition, the partition member 1070 of this embodiment has demolding traces 2519 on the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072, each of which has a semicircular arc portion facing the other. Therefore, when the partition member 1070 is manufactured by injection molding using a mold, it is possible to make the ejector pin corresponding to the semicircular demolding traces 2519 cylindrical, thereby suppressing the increase in costs associated with the ejector pin and mold, i.e., the cost of the partition member 1070 and ultimately the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the partitioning member 1070 of this embodiment has demolding marks 2519 on both sides of the rear surface of the front wall 1074, with the reinforcing wall 1073 in between. More specifically, the demolding marks 2519 are provided on the rear surface of the front wall 1074 at symmetrical or nearly symmetrical positions with the reinforcing wall 1073 in between. As a result, in the manufacture of the partitioning member 1070, when the partitioning member 1070 is demolded from the molding die, the reinforcing wall 1073 and other parts can be smoothly removed from the mold without having to press the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 with an ejector pin or the like. This reduces damage during molding and does not detract from the appearance of the partitioning member 1070.

In this embodiment, the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071, inner wall 1072, and reinforcing wall 1073 of the partition member 1070 are flush with each other (see Figure 131 (b)). In other words, there is no step between the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073, and there is also no step between the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. This increases the strength and rigidity of the partition member 1070.

In this partition member 1070, the demolding trace portion 2519 on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the demolding trace portion 2519 on the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 are located at the same position in the front-to-rear direction, and the demolding trace portion 2519 on the rear surface of the front wall 1074 is located in a position forward of the demolding trace portions 2519 on the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072.

The partition member 1070 is also provided on the front side of the transparent gaming panel 1100, which forms the play area 5a in front of it. Therefore, the rear end surface of the partition member 1070 can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. As a result, if the demolding trace portion 2519 of the outer wall 1071 or the demolding trace portion 2519 of the inner wall 1072 protrudes, the demolding trace portion 2519 will come into contact with the gaming panel 1100.

The partition member 1070 of this embodiment defines the outer periphery of the play area 5a, and may vibrate when the game ball B comes into contact with it. When the partition member 1070 vibrates, there is a possibility that friction between the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072 and the game panel 1100 may cause dust to be generated. Therefore, the partition member 1070 of this embodiment has a recess 1075 that opens to the rear (toward the game panel 1100, which will be subject to friction), allowing dust generated by friction to be collected by the recess 1075. When this partition member 1070 is attached to the game panel 1100, the recess 1075 is closed to prevent communication with the outside. Therefore, dust generated by friction will not enter the play area 5a and affect the movement of the game ball B, i.e., gameplay.

As another example of the recess 1075, when there is a "recess 1075A (see FIG. 132(a)) into which a separate member 1080 is not inserted" and a "recess 1075B into which a separate member 1080 (such as a specified decorative device or light-emitting device) is inserted," the recess 1075A may be completely closed so as not to communicate with the outside when the partition member 1070 is assembled to the gaming panel 1100, while the recess 1075B may be at least partially open to the outside when the partition member 1070 is assembled to the gaming panel 1100, so as not to be completely closed. Forming the communication portion 1071a can prevent powder from accumulating and causing problems with the separate member 1080 provided inside. When forming the communication portion 1071a, it is preferable to form it on the outer wall 1071 side as shown in the figure to prevent powder from entering the playing area 5a.

In the above embodiment, the partition member 1070 has no steps between the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073, but this is not limited to this and the partition member may have a shape such as that shown in Figure 133.

Specifically, the partition member 1070A shown in Figure 133(a) has a step between the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. More specifically, the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 of the partition member 1070A are located on the same plane, and each surface is capable of contacting the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. Meanwhile, the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 is located forward of the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072. When the partition member 1070A is attached to the gaming panel 1100, the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 can contact the front surface of the gaming panel 1100.

Similar to the above-described partitioning member 1070, this partitioning member 1070A has multiple demolding marks 2519 on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071, the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072, and the rear surface of the front wall 1074. Furthermore, the partitioning member 1070A does not have demolding marks 2519 on the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. This partitioning member 1070A can also achieve the same effects as the above-described partitioning member 1070.

Furthermore, the partition member 1070A has a step between the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072 and the reinforcing wall 1073. In other words, the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 is located further forward than the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072. Therefore, even if the reinforcing wall 1073 is deformed during the manufacturing (molding) of the partition member 1070A, the reinforcing wall 1073 will not protrude further rearward than the front wall 1074 or the inner wall 1072. Therefore, when assembling the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), the deformed reinforcing wall 1073 will not come into contact with other components such as the game panel 1100 and hinder assembly, ensuring reliable assembly.

Furthermore, in the partition member 1070B shown in Figure 133 (b), the rear end of the outer wall 1071 protrudes further rearward than the rear end of the inner wall 1072 and the rear end of the reinforcing wall 1073, and there is a step between the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073, while there is no step between the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. When this partition member 1070B is attached to the gaming panel 1100, the rear part of the outer wall 1071 (the portion rearward of the inner wall 1072) is located to the side of the gaming panel 1100, and the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. The rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 may be at the same position as the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, or may be located forward of the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, or may be located rearward of the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100.

Similar to the above-described partition member 1070, this partition member 1070B has multiple demolding marks 2519 on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071, the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072, and the rear surface of the front wall 1074. Furthermore, partition member 1070B does not have demolding marks 2519 on the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. This partition member 1070B can also achieve the same effects as the above-described partition member 1070. Furthermore, partition member 1070B can hide or decorate the side of the gaming panel 1100 with the rear portion of the outer wall 1071.

Furthermore, in the partition member 1070C shown in Figure 133 (c), the rear end of the outer wall 1071 protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the inner wall 1072 and the rear end of the reinforcing wall 1073, and there is a step between the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. Furthermore, the rear end of the inner wall 1072 protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the reinforcing wall 1073, and there is also a step between the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. When this partition member 1070C is attached to the gaming panel 1100, the rear portion of the outer wall 1071 (the portion rearward of the inner wall 1072) is located to the side of the gaming panel 1100, and the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 can contact the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. The rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 may be at the same position as the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, or may be located forward of the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, or may be located rearward of the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100.

Similar to the above-described partition member 1070, this partition member 1070C has multiple demolding marks 2519 on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071, the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072, and the rear surface of the front wall 1074. Furthermore, the partition member 1070C does not have demolding marks 2519 on the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. This partition member 1070C can also achieve the same effects as the above-described partition member 1070. Furthermore, the partition member 1070C can hide or decorate the side of the gaming panel 1100 with the rear portion of the outer wall 1071.

Furthermore, the partition member 1070C has a step between the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072 and the reinforcing wall 1073. In other words, the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 is located further forward than the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072. Therefore, even if the reinforcing wall 1073 is deformed during the manufacturing (molding) of the partition member 1070C, the reinforcing wall 1073 will not protrude further rearward than the inner wall 1072. Therefore, when assembling the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), the deformed reinforcing wall 1073 will not come into contact with other components such as the game panel 1100 and hinder assembly, ensuring reliable assembly.

While the above illustrates the partition members 1070 (partition members 1070A to 1070C) that constitute the upper portions of the outer rail 1001 and right rail 1005 as part of the component 1000, the partition members that constitute other portions of the component 1000 also have the same configuration. Furthermore, it is desirable that the demolding trace portion 2519 of the partition member 1070 that constitutes part of the component 1000 have a common shape (e.g., circular or semicircular) with the demolding trace portions of the components that constitute the remaining portions of the component 1000. Alternatively, it is desirable that the shape of the demolding trace portion 2519 of the partition member 1070 be common with the shape of the demolding trace portions of other components (e.g., inner rail unit 1060, starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, upper left side unit 2300, center gimmick 2500, etc.) that are attached to the gaming panel 1100 to which the partition member 1070 is attached. This means that even if compartment components of different models are mixed together during manufacturing or reuse, by checking the state of their demolding traces 2519, it is possible to distinguish between compartment components to be used (as a pair) for the same model, preventing assembly errors and improving workability.

In addition, while the above describes circular or semicircular shapes for the demolding trace portion 2519, this is not limited to these shapes and may be a rectangle as shown in Figure 99(c), a portion of a large circle as shown in Figure 99(d), a long rectangle as shown in Figure 99(e), or a polygon such as a triangle, pentagon, or hexagon, or an irregular shape such as a star or heart.

Furthermore, in the above description, demolding traces 2519 are provided as specific traces on the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072, but this is not limited to this, and the specific traces may also be "injection port (gate) traces for injecting molten resin into the mold," "parting lines on the cut surfaces of the injection molding mold," etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the rear end surfaces of none of the multiple reinforcing walls 1073 are provided with specific trace portions (removal trace portions 2519), but this is not limited to this, and some of the multiple reinforcing walls 1073 may not be provided with specific trace portions (removal trace portions 2519).

Furthermore, while the above description shows the partition member 1070 that constitutes the previous component 1000 as a specific general-purpose component, it is not limited to this and may also be, for example, the door frame top decorative body 301 in the door frame 3, the door frame right side decorative body 341, the main frame base 501 in the main frame 4, the start port unit 2100 in the front unit 2000, the side unit 2200, the upper left side unit 2300, the center accessory 2500 (center frame 2510), etc.

[11-3. Characteristics of specific general-purpose components 2]
Next, feature 2 of the specific general-purpose component in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 134 to 137. Figure 134(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the relationship between a partition member constituting a part of the front component of the gaming board and the gaming panel, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) from the back, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of the partition member in a perspective view from the rear. Figure 135(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a partition member provided with a specific non-contact portion of a different form from that shown in Figure 134 from the back, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a partition member provided with a specific contact portion different from that shown in Figure 134 from the back, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a partition member provided with the specific non-contact portion of (a) and the specific contact portion of (b) from the back. Figure 136(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of a partition member having a step between the outer and inner walls and the reinforcing wall, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) from the back. Figure 137(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic cross section of a partition member in which the outer wall extends rearward and there is no step between the inner wall and the reinforcing wall, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) from the back.

In this embodiment, the specific general-purpose component is attached to the basic component. In the following, the basic component is referred to as the game panel 1100, and the specific general-purpose component is referred to as the partitioning component 1070, which is part of the component 1000 that defines the outer periphery of the play area 5a on the play board 5. The partitioning component 1070 has an outer wall 1071 that forms the outer edge, an inner wall 1072 that is located closer to the play area 5a than the outer wall 1071, and a reinforcing wall 1073 that is located to connect the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072. There is no step between the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 and the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072.

The partition member 1070 also has a front wall 1074 that connects the front end of the outer wall 1071 and the front end of the inner wall 1072, and a recess 1075 that is surrounded by the outer wall 1071, the inner wall 1072, the reinforcing wall 1073, and the front wall 1074 and is open at the rear. This partition member 1070 has the same configuration as the partition member 1070 shown in Figure 131.

This partition member 1070 has multiple demolding marks 2519 on its rear surface, as shown by cross-hatching in Figure 134. Here, the demolding marks 2519 refer to extrusion marks left on a product by a mechanism (e.g., an ejector pin, a push-up core, a straight-up core, an ejection core, etc.) used to remove a product from a molding die (metal mold) after the product has been molded using the die. The demolding marks 2519 are slightly concave, convex, or inclined compared to adjacent flat areas. The partition member 1070 of this embodiment has demolding marks 2519 on the rear surfaces of the outer wall 1071, inner wall 1072, and front wall 1074. Note that the reinforcing wall 1073 does not have demolding marks 2519.

The multiple demolding marks 2519 provided on the partition member 1070 will now be described in detail. First, a semicircular demolding mark 2519 is provided on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071. This demolding mark 2519 is provided so that the arc portion of the semicircular shape faces the inner wall 1072. Furthermore, the demolding mark 2519 on the outer wall 1071 is provided near the connection between the outer wall 1071 and the reinforcing wall 1073.

A semicircular demolding trace 2519 is provided on the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072. This demolding trace 2519 is provided so that the arc portion of the semicircular shape faces the outer wall 1071. The demolding trace 2519 of the inner wall 1072 is also provided near the connection between the inner wall 1072 and the reinforcing wall 1073.

A circular demolding trace 2519 is provided on the rear surface of the front wall 1074. The demolding trace 2519 on the front wall 1074 is provided along the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072, and is provided in a symmetrical or nearly symmetrical position with the reinforcing wall 1073 in between. The demolding trace 2519 on the front wall 1074 is circular with a radius 1 to 2.5 times the radius of the semicircular demolding trace 2519 on the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072, etc.

The partition member 1070 of this embodiment comes into contact with the gaming panel 1100 when attached to the gaming panel 1100 as a basic member, and has contact areas 1076 (areas shown with dark hatching in Figures 134(b) and (c)) such as the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072 that are visible from the outside when removed from the gaming panel 1100. The partition member 1070 also has non-contact areas 1077 (areas shown with light hatching in Figures 134(b) and (c)) such as the rear surface of the front wall 1074 that do not come into contact with the gaming panel 1100 when attached to the gaming panel 1100.

This partition member 1070 has a specific contact portion 1078 in the contact area 1076 that comes into contact with the gaming panel 1100, and a specific non-contact portion 1079 in the non-contact area 1077 that does not come into contact with the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 are each designated as demolding trace portions 2519.

It is sufficient that the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 have approximately the same distinguishing features. Here, distinguishing features refer to size, shape, color, configuration (molding marks, engravings, paint, stickers, etc.), etc., and it is sufficient that at least one of these is similar (they may or may not be completely identical).

As a result, when friction occurs between the partition member 1070 and the gaming panel 1100 due to vibration, the specific contact portion 1078 (removal trace portion 2519) provided in the contact area 1076 wears away, changing its distinguishing feature (e.g., visibility). On the other hand, the specific non-contact portion 1079 (removal trace portion 2519) provided in the non-contact area 1077 does not come into contact with the gaming panel 1100 and does not wear away, so its distinguishing feature (visibility) does not change. Therefore, by comparing the specific contact portion 1078 in the contact area 1076, whose distinguishing feature has changed, with the specific non-contact portion 1079 in the non-contact area 1077, whose distinguishing feature has not changed, it is possible to confirm the degree of wear of the partition member 1070, and this can be used as information to determine whether the partition member 1070 is reusable. For example, if the specific contact portion 1078 of the contact area 1076 looks the same as the specific non-contact portion 1079 of the non-contact area 1077, it is deemed reusable. On the other hand, if the specific contact portion 1078 of the contact area 1076 has worn down and looks clearly different from the specific non-contact portion 1079 of the non-contact area 1077, it is deemed not reusable.

In addition, in this embodiment, the specific contact portion 1078 of the contact area 1076 is provided at the connection portion between the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072 and the reinforced wall 1073. Therefore, by using the reinforced wall 1073 as a guide, it is possible to determine the location (position) of the specific contact portion 1078 in the contact area 1076. Alternatively, a pair of specific non-contact portions 1079 is provided on both sides (symmetrically) of the reinforced wall 1073 on the rear surface of the front wall 1074, which is the non-contact area 1077. Therefore, by using the pair of specific non-contact portions 1079 as a guide, it is possible to determine the location (position) of the specific contact portion 1078 in the contact area 1076. This makes it easy to find the specific contact portion 1078 in the contact area 1076, and it is possible to check the degree of wear of the specific contact portion 1078 and easily determine whether it can be reused.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a recess 1075 is provided near the specific contact portion 1078 of the partition member 1070, so that powder generated by friction at the specific contact portion 1078 can be collected by the recess 1075, preventing the generated powder from affecting gameplay or marring the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, in this embodiment, the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 in the partition member 1070 are formed as demolding traces 2519, which are molding marks that are created when the partition member 1070 is molded. Therefore, there is no need to mark the molding die, apply paint, or attach stickers in order to provide the specific contact portion 1078 or the specific non-contact portion 1079, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the partition member 1070 is attached to the transparent gaming panel 1100, the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 can be seen through the transparent gaming panel 1100 without removing the partition member 1070 from the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, before removing the partition member 1070, the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 can be compared to determine whether the partition member 1070 is reusable.

In the above embodiment, the specific non-contact portion 1079 of the non-contact area 1077 is shown as a demolding trace portion 2519, but this is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 135(a), the specific non-contact portion 1079 may be engraved. More specifically, FIG. 135(a) shows the specific non-contact portion 1079 provided in the non-contact area 1077 as an arrow-shaped engraving. The arrow of the specific non-contact portion 1079 points to the specific contact portion 1078. This makes it easy to determine the location (position) of the specific contact portion 1078 in the contact area 1076 by looking at the specific non-contact portion 1079 in the non-contact area 1077, improving the workability of the task of determining whether or not the product is reusable.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the specific contact portion 1078 of the contact area 1076 is shown as a demolding trace portion 2519, but this is not limited to this, and the specific contact portion 1078 may also be embossed (convex), as shown in Figure 135 (b). Even with this specific contact portion 1078, when the partition member 1070 is attached to the gaming panel 1100 as the basic member, the specific contact portion 1078 comes into contact with the gaming panel 1100, and as the partition member 1070 vibrates, the specific contact portion 1078 wears down, causing a change in visibility, thereby achieving the same effect as above.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 are shown as demolding traces 2519, but this is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 135(c), the specific contact portion 1078 provided in the contact area 1076 may be embossed (convex), and the specific non-contact portion 1079 provided in the non-contact area 1077 may be marked with an arrow-shaped mark. This makes it easy to determine the location (position) of the specific contact portion 1078 in the contact area 1076 by looking at the specific non-contact portion 1079 in the non-contact area 1077. Furthermore, since the specific contact portion 1078 wears down due to contact with the gaming panel 1100, changing its visibility, it is possible to determine whether or not the product is reusable by comparing the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows a single partition member 1070 provided with a specific contact portion 1078 and a specific non-contact portion 1079, a spare specific non-contact portion 1079 may also be provided on another member of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, a member other than the partition member 1070 in the previous component 1000, such as the inner rail unit 1060, the function display unit 1400, or the front unit 2000). It is also desirable that the specific non-contact portion 1079 of the other member be arranged in a non-contact manner so as not to come into contact with any other member. This allows the specific non-contact portions 1079 of the other members to be compared with each other. If the specific non-contact portion 1079 of the partition member 1070 has been damaged for some reason, this fact can be discovered, making it possible to more effectively determine whether the partition member 1070 is reusable.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the partition member 1070 is shown as having no steps between the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072 and the reinforcing wall 1073, but this is not limited to this and a partition member 1070A having steps between the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072 and the reinforcing wall 1073, as shown in FIG. 136, may also be used. In this partition member 1070A, the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 form a contact area 1076 that can come into contact with the gaming panel 1100, and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 and the rear surface of the front wall 1074 form a non-contact area 1077 that does not come into contact with the gaming panel 1100. This partition member 1070A can also achieve the same effects as those described above. Furthermore, in this partition member 1070A, the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 forms a non-contact area 1077 that does not come into contact with the gaming panel 1100, which serves as the basic member, and therefore the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 may also be a specific non-contact portion 1079.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the partition member 1070 is shown as one in which there is no step between the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072 and the reinforcing wall 1073, but this is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 137, a partition member 1070B may also be used in which the rear end of the outer wall 1071 protrudes further rearward than the rear ends of the inner wall 1072 and the reinforcing wall 1073, there is a step between the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073, and there is no step between the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073.

In this partition member 1070B, the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 and the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 form a contact area 1076 that can come into contact with the gaming panel 1100, and the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the rear surface of the front wall 1074 form a non-contact area 1077 that does not come into contact with the gaming panel 1100. This partition member 1070B can also achieve the same effects as above. Note that in this partition member 1070B, the demolding trace portion 2519 on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 may also be used as the specific non-contact portion 1079. Also, although not shown, the partition member 1070B may be a partition member 1070C that has a step between the inner wall 1072 and the reinforcing wall 1073, as shown in Figure 133(c).

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the demolding trace portion 2519 is shown as a specific contact portion 1078 or a specific non-contact portion 1079, but this is not limited to this and may also be a molding trace such as "a trace of an injection port (gate) for injection molding molten resin into a mold" or "a parting line on the cut surface of the injection molding mold."

In addition, in the above embodiment, the specific contact portion 1078 is shown as a molding mark including the demolding trace portion 2519 or a embossed (protruding) shape, but it is not limited to this and may also be paint or a sticker. Furthermore, the shape of the specific contact portion 1078 may be a semicircle or a square, or may be a circle, a polygon such as a triangle or a pentagon, a letter, a symbol, a mark, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the specific non-contact portion 1079 is shown as a molding mark including the demolding trace portion 2519, an engraving, a reinforced wall 1073, etc., but it is not limited to this and may also be paint, a sticker, etc. Furthermore, the shape of the specific non-contact portion 1079 may be a circle or an arrow, or may be a polygon such as a triangle or a square, a letter, a symbol, a mark, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the specific general-purpose component, which is the partition component 1070, is attached to the basic component, which is the transparent gaming panel 1100, so that the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 can be seen through the transparent basic component without removing the specific general-purpose component from the basic component. However, this is not limited to this, and the basic component may be opaque, and the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 may be seen when the specific general-purpose component is removed from the opaque basic component.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the partition member 1070 constituting the preceding component member 1000 was shown as a specific general-purpose component, but this is not limited to this. For example, the specific general-purpose component may be a reusable component such as the door frame top decorative body 301 in the door frame 3, the door frame right side decorative body 341, the main frame base 501 in the main frame 4, the start port unit 2100 in the front unit 2000, the side unit 2200, the upper left side unit 2300, or the center accessory 2500 (center frame 2510).

[11-4. Harness section]
Next, the harness section 1700 in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 138 and 139. Figure 138(a) is a rear view of the game board shown with some of the harness sections, and Figure 138(b) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the main part of Figure 138(a). Figure 139 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of the relationship between the boards and multiple harness sections. The pachinko machine 1 (game board 5) is provided with multiple boards 1730, such as a main control board 1310, a peripheral control board 1510, a panel relay board 3042, and a performance drive board 3043. The pachinko machine 1 also has multiple harness sections 1700 for connecting the boards 1730 to each other.

The harness section 1700 is composed of a pair of connectors 1710 and multiple electric wires 1720 connecting the pair of connectors 1710. In other words, a connector 1710 is provided at each end of the multiple electric wires 1720. In one harness section 1700, the connectors 1710 at both ends have the same size and color. The connectors 1710 vary in size and color depending on the number of electric wires 1720.

On the other hand, the board 1730 is provided with a socket 1731 for connecting the connector 1710 of the harness part 1700. The socket 1731 has a size and color that correspond to the size and color of the connector 1710 to be connected.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 138 and 139, three harness sections 1700 are illustrated, and they are named in descending order of the number of wires 1720 as the first harness section 1701, the second harness section 1702, and the third harness section 1703.

To describe the harness portion 1700 in more detail, the harness portion 1700 has at least one specific electric wire 1721 and a greater number of general electric wires 1722 than the specific electric wires 1721. The specific electric wires 1721 and the general electric wires 1722 differ in at least one of the hue, brightness, and saturation. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish between the specific electric wires 1721 and the general electric wires 1722 within a single harness portion 1700. The hue of the specific electric wire 1721, etc., makes it possible to distinguish the harness portion 1700 from other harness portions and to identify the board 1730 to which the harness portion 1700 is connected.

Furthermore, the harness portion 1700 has a specific harness portion 1700A configured so that the color of the general electric wire 1722 has a lower brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire 1721, and a general harness portion 1700B configured so that the color of the general electric wire 1722 has a higher brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire 1721. In this embodiment, the first harness portion 1701 and the second harness portion 1702 are specific harness portions 1700A, and the third harness portion 1703 is general harness portion 1700B. Therefore, the color of the specific electric wire 1721 of the third harness portion 1703 has a lower brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire 1721 of the first harness portion 1701 or the color of the specific electric wire 1721 of the second harness portion 1702.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted, in this embodiment, of the multiple harness sections 1700, in at least one harness section 1700 excluding the specific harness section 1700A, the color of its connector 1710 is configured to be brighter or more saturated than the color of the general electric wire 1722 of the specific harness section 1700A.

Specific harness portion 1700A has a large number of dark-looking general electric wires 1722 compared to general harness portion 1700B, making dirt less noticeable. On the other hand, general harness portion 1700B has a large number of light-looking general electric wires 1722 compared to specific harness portion 1700A, making dirt more noticeable. Therefore, even if the actual dirt is the same, the dirt on specific harness portion 1700A is less noticeable and appears to be unsoiled, making it possible to reuse specific harness portion 1700A. In this case, the actual level of dirt can be confirmed by looking at general harness portion 1700B, where dirt is more noticeable, so it is possible to determine whether specific harness portion 1700A can be reused based on the level of dirt on general harness portion 1700B. In other words, even if dirt is less noticeable, by using the level of dirt on general harness portion 1700B as a basis for judgment, it is possible to avoid reusing specific harness portion 1700A that is too dirty.

When multiple harness sections 1700 are attached to the gaming board 5, as shown in Figure 138, the specific electric wire 1721 in one harness section 1700 is hidden by multiple general electric wires 1722. More specifically, most of the specific electric wire 1721 is located between the multiple general electric wires 1722 and the rear surface of the gaming board 5. This makes the specific electric wire 1721 less likely to become dirty. Therefore, in the specific electric wire 1721 of the specific harness section 1700A, the portion hidden by the general electric wire 1722 retains its original color before becoming dirty, while the portion not hidden by the general electric wire 1722 retains its dirty color. Therefore, comparing these two portions can also be used to determine whether the specific harness section 1700A is reusable.

In addition, in this embodiment, a specific indication section 1740 is provided that has a color that is brighter or more saturated than the color of the general electric wires 1722 of the specific harness section 1700A (see Figure 138). This specific indication section 1740 makes it possible to check the degree of dirt on the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). In this embodiment, the specific indication section 1740 is a sticker attached to the rear surface of the board cover 1340 of the main control unit 1300. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, in addition to the function of checking the degree of dirt, the specific indication section 1740 in this embodiment displays letters and symbols related to the main control board 1310 (main control unit 1300) to which it is attached, and therefore also serves the function of identifying the main control board 1310, etc.

According to this embodiment, the multiple harness sections 1700 include specific harness sections 1700A in which many general electric wires 1722 are relatively dark in color, and general harness sections 1700B in which many general electric wires 1722 are relatively light in color. Therefore, it is possible to determine (distinguish) whether specific harness sections 1700A, in which dirt is less noticeable, can be reused based on the degree of dirt on the general harness sections 1700B.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the specific harness part 1700A is attached to the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5) so that the relatively light-colored specific electric wire 1721 is hidden by the relatively dark-colored general electric wire 1722. Therefore, by comparing the degree of dirt on the part of the specific electric wire 1721 of the specific harness part 1700A that is hidden by the general electric wire 1722 and the part that is not hidden by the general electric wire 1722, the original degree of dirt can be confirmed, and this can be used as information to determine whether the specific harness part 1700A is reusable.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the specific harness section 1700A, the specific electric wires 1721, which are lighter in color than the more numerous general electric wires 1722, are hidden by the multiple general electric wires 1722. This makes it difficult for dirt to adhere to the light-colored specific electric wires 1721, and makes dirt on the specific harness section 1700A less noticeable overall.

In addition, according to this embodiment, a specific indication section 1740 is provided on the rear surface of the game board 5 in a color that is lighter than the color of the general electric wires 1722 of the specific harness section 1700A. Therefore, by looking at the specific indication section 1740, the actual state of dirt can be confirmed, and this can be used as information to determine whether the specific harness section 1700A can be reused.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a connector 1710 that is a lighter color than the general wires 1722 of the specific harness section 1700A is provided on a portion of the remaining harness section 1700, excluding the specific harness section 1700A. This makes it possible to check the actual degree of dirt using the connector 1710, and to determine whether the specific harness section 1700A can be reused.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the multiple harness sections 1700 are arranged so that they can be seen from outside the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). Therefore, even when attached to the pachinko machine 1, it is possible to determine whether the specific harness section 1700A can be reused by checking the degree of dirt on the general harness section 1700B.

In the above embodiment, a sticker was shown as the identification suggestion unit 1740, but this is not limited to this and it could also be a connector 1710 on part of the harness unit 1700, a socket 1731 on part of the board 1730, etc. Also, in the above embodiment, the identification suggestion unit 1740 was shown to also have the function of identifying the main control board 1310, etc., but this is not limited to this and it could also have the function of identifying the peripheral control board 1510, performance display device 1600, panel relay board 3042, performance drive board 3043, etc., or it could have no other functions.

In this embodiment, the specific harness section 1700A is subject to reuse, and the general harness section 1700B is not subject to reuse, so the following relationship can be listed between the specific harness section 1700A and the general harness section 1700B:

(Relationship between specific harness parts and general harness parts, part 1)
For example, the general harness section 1700B is frequently plugged and unplugged when checking for dirt. Therefore, to allow for dirt checks even when the power is on, an error notification process based on a change from a connected state to a disconnected state (disconnection) for the general harness section 1700B may not be performed. This prevents the manager from feeling annoyed when checking for dirt. In contrast, the specific harness section 1700A should not be easily plugged and unplugged because it is not desirable for it to become dirty. Therefore, to prevent contact with the reuse-targeted components when the power is on, a special error notification process based on a change from a connected state to a disconnected state (disconnection) for the specific harness section 1700A may be performed. Examples of special error notification processes include outputting a special warning message such as "Do not plug or unplug," or emitting a warning light (e.g., red) from a designated light-emitting element visible from the back side, or turning off the warning light. This prevents unnecessary contact with the reuse-targeted components.

(Relationship between specific harness parts and general harness parts, part 2)
It is desirable that the specific harness section 1700A be provided in a position that is less susceptible to dirt than the general harness section 1700B. In other words, it is better that the general harness section 1700B be provided in a position that is more susceptible to dirt than the specific harness section 1700A in the pachinko machine 1. This is because if the general harness section 1700B is provided in a position that is less susceptible to dirt than the specific harness section 1700A, there is no point in using it as a comparison for checking the degree of dirt.

Specific positional relationships, for example, in terms of vertical positional relationships, it is desirable to position the general harness section 1700B higher than the specific harness section 1700A. This ensures that dirt and dust falling from above will adhere to the upper general harness section 1700B, ensuring that the general harness section 1700B becomes dirty, making it useful as a comparison of the degree of dirtiness, and also making it more difficult for the specific harness section 1700A to become dirty.

On the other hand, in terms of front-to-back (depth) positional relationship, it is desirable to locate the general harness section 1700B further back (deeper) than the specific harness section 1700A. This means that the further back it is, the closer it is to the center of the island equipment, making it easier for dirt and dust from the center of the island equipment to come into contact with the general harness section 1700B, making the general harness section 1700B more likely to become dirty and making the specific harness section 1700A less likely to become dirty.

Furthermore, in terms of left-right positioning, it is desirable to position the general harness section 1700B closer to the hinge of the door frame 3, main body frame 4, etc. than the specific harness section 1700A. This makes it easier for dirt and dust to accumulate in the general harness section 1700B, as it is recessed closer to the hinge side. It is also desirable to avoid placing the specific harness section 1700A too close to the opening side. This is because if the specific harness section 1700A is too close to the opening side, it is easier for an operator to touch the specific harness section 1700A when opening the main body frame 4, etc., and this avoids the risk of the operator soiling the specific harness section 1700A.

(Relationship between specific harness parts and general harness parts, part 3)
It is desirable to provide the general harness section 1700B in a position that is more visible than the specific harness section 1700A. This makes it easier to see the dirt level of the general harness section 1700B, which is more easily soiled, than the specific harness section 1700A. As for the specific arrangement of the specific harness section 1700A and the general harness section 1700B, for example, if they are arranged vertically, it is desirable to arrange the general harness section 1700B above the specific harness section 1700A. If they are arranged in depth (front to back), it is desirable to arrange the general harness section 1700B further back (rearward) than the specific harness section 1700A. If they are arranged left to right, it is desirable to arrange the general harness section 1700B closer to the open side of the main body frame 4 or the like than the specific harness section 1700A.

(Relationship between specific harness parts and general harness parts, part 4)
It is desirable that the general harness section 1700B has fewer electric wires 1720 than the specific harness section 1700A. By making the number of electric wires 1720 in the general harness 1700B fewer than the number of electric wires 1720 in the specific harness section 1700A, the cost of the general harness section 1700B can be reduced compared to the cost of the specific harness section 1700A. In other words, since the general harness section 1700B is not reused, the fewer electric wires 1720 that make it up can reduce the cost of reuse.

(Relationship between specific harness parts and general harness parts No. 5)
The specific harness portion 1700A may have the plurality of electric wires 1720 bundled together with cable ties, while the general harness portion 1700B may have the plurality of electric wires 1720 not bundled together with cable ties. In this case, the specific harness portion 1700A may not simply bundle the plurality of electric wires 1720 with cable ties, but may also bundle the specific harness portion 1700A together with a hook provided on the rear box 3010 or the like with cable ties. In this way, the fact that the specific harness portion 1700A is bundled with cable ties makes it clear that it cannot be easily removed, and prevents people from touching the specific harness portion 1700A. The color of the cable ties bundling the specific harness portion 1700A may be bright, and the cable ties may function as the specific indication portion 1740.

Furthermore, when bundling multiple harness parts 1700 together with cable ties, the specific harness part 1700A and the general harness part 1700B may not be bundled together. In this case, the cable ties bundling the specific harness part 1700A and the cable ties bundling the general harness part 1700B may be made to have different colors or sizes (band widths) so that it is possible to distinguish which harness part 1700 is bundled. In this way, when reusing the specific harness part 1700A, since the general harness part 1700B is not bundled together, dirt adhering to the general harness part 1700B will not adhere to the specific harness part 1700A.

Furthermore, when bundling the specific harness section 1700A and the general harness section 1700B together with a cable tie, it is desirable to position the general harness section 1700B on the outside (rear) when bundling. This makes it difficult to touch the specific harness section 1700A and also makes it less likely for the specific harness section 1700A to become soiled.

[11-5. Summary]
The other configurations described above have the following various technical features:

[11-5a. Summary A]
(Background of technical features)
A gaming machine such as a pachinko machine comprises a frame-shaped outer frame that is attached to the island equipment of an amusement hall, a main frame that is attached to the outer frame so as to be able to open and close and to which a game board having a game area is attached from the front, and a door frame that closes the game area so that it can be seen from the front and is attached so as to be able to open and close to the main frame. In this type of gaming machine, a main control board for controlling the game is attached to the rear surface of the game board, and when attached to the island equipment of an amusement hall, it is possible to approach the main control board attached to the rear surface by opening (opening) the main frame forward.

Incidentally, as a countermeasure against fraudulent activity on main control boards and other equipment, amusement halls install opening prevention devices to prevent the unauthorized opening of the main frame. One proposed opening prevention device includes a main body attached to the island equipment, a wire that reels out from the main body, and a locking mechanism that can prevent the wire from being reeled out (see, for example, Patent Document: JP 2007-14532 A). Attaching the tip of the wire of this opening prevention device to the rear surface of the main frame can prevent the unauthorized opening of the main frame.

However, in conventional gaming machines, the opening prevention device's wire was attached to an appropriate location on the rear of the main frame by the gaming hall. Therefore, if the mounting screws attaching important game components (such as the ball circulation mechanism) were removed and the wire was then attached using those same screws, there was a risk that the mounting condition of the important component would change, resulting in a malfunction.

Therefore, in consideration of the above situation, the following solution aims to provide a gaming machine that can reduce damage to the ball circulation mechanism.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with an openable main body frame,
A predetermined ball circulation mechanism is provided at the bottom of the main body frame,
A specific region having a specific screw portion is formed on the open side of the lower portion of the main body frame from the center in the left-right direction,
Even if the screw threaded into the specific threaded portion is removed, the attached state of the member to which the specific threaded portion is provided can be maintained,
A protrusion that protrudes rearward is provided in the vicinity of the specific region having the specific screw portion.
A gaming machine characterized by:

Here, a "ball circulation mechanism" is a mechanism that can collect game balls that have flowed down below the play area where game balls are played and supply them to a ball launcher that launches the game balls into the play area, and is a mechanism that circulates game balls within the game machine. These game balls are not discharged outside the game machine.

Examples of a "specific area" include "an area the same size as the object to be attached to the specific screw portion," and "an area the same size as the object to be attached to the specific screw portion plus an area large enough to accommodate tools for attaching the object or the operator's fingers."

Furthermore, examples of a "specific threaded portion" include "something that simply has a screw screwed in, but does not attach a component with a specific threaded portion to it," and "something that has a screw screwed in and attaches a component with a specific threaded portion, but the attached state of the component with the specific threaded portion remains (does not change) even when the screw is removed."

According to the configuration of means 1, in a gaming machine equipped with an openable main body frame, a predetermined ball circulation mechanism is provided at the bottom of the main body frame, and a specific area with a specific screw portion is formed on the open side of the bottom of the main body frame from the center in the left-right direction, so that the attachment state of the member to which the specific screw portion is attached can be maintained even if the screw threaded into the specific screw portion is removed, and a protrusion that protrudes rearward is provided near the specific area with the specific screw portion (see chapter [11-1. External attachment function portion] in [Embodiment of the invention], the description of expansion area 520, specific screw portion 521, specific screw 522, protrusion 523, and Figures 127 to 130, etc.).

In this configuration, a gaming machine equipped with a ball circulation mechanism for circulating gaming balls within the machine has a specific screw threaded into the lower part of the main frame, which is openable and closable forward. Therefore, in the amusement hall where the gaming machine is installed, the screw in the specific screw threaded part can be removed and the amusement hall can use the screw to attach a desired component. In this case, even if the screw threaded into the specific screw threaded part is removed, the attached state of the component with the specific screw threaded part is maintained, so the attached state of the component does not change and the ball circulation mechanism attached to the main frame is not affected. Furthermore, because a restricting part protruding rearward is provided near the specific screw threaded part, even if the desired component attached to the specific screw thread by the screw attempts to rotate around the specific screw threaded part, a portion of the desired component abuts the protruding part, preventing the desired component from rotating. This allows the desired component to be maintained in a good attached state.

To be more specific, for example, when installing an opening prevention device to prevent unauthorized opening of the main frame of a gaming machine installed in an island facility at an amusement hall, a specific threaded portion is provided in a specific area on the bottom of the main frame, allowing the end of the wire extending from the main frame of the opening prevention device to be attached using a screw threaded into the specific threaded portion. In other words, because the specific threaded portion is provided in advance, the amusement hall cannot remove the mounting screw that attaches the specified component to attach the end of the wire. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to open the main frame forward with the end of the wire attached to the specific threaded portion, the wire is pulled, preventing the wire from being unwound from the main frame. Therefore, the main frame cannot be opened forward, preventing unauthorized opening and closing. In this case, because the specific threaded portion (specific area) is located closer to the opening side than the center in the lateral direction of the main frame, the wire of the opening prevention device can sufficiently prevent any unauthorized forward opening of the main frame. Furthermore, because a screw is pre-threaded into the specific threaded portion, the amusement hall does not need to provide a separate screw to attach the wire. Furthermore, because a protrusion that protrudes rearward is provided near the specific area, even if the tip of the wire attempts to rotate around the specific screw portion, a portion of the tip of the wire (e.g., the mounting bracket) abuts the protrusion, preventing the mounting bracket from rotating at the tip of the wire, thereby maintaining the wire's attachment state. Furthermore, even if the screw at the specific screw portion is removed, the attachment state of the component to which the tip of the wire is attached remains unchanged, so the ball circulation mechanism installed in the main frame is not affected and damage to the ball circulation mechanism is minimized.

It is desirable to install the special screw part on a different component from the ball circulation mechanism. This will minimize damage to the ball circulation mechanism even if the main frame is forcibly pulled forward due to fraudulent activity, damaging the special screw part where the tip of the wire is attached.

Furthermore, multiple specific screw portions may be provided at different positions in the front-to-rear direction. This makes it possible to select a specific screw portion located forward of the main body of the opening prevention device from among multiple specific screw portions located in different front-to-rear directions relative to the front-to-rear position where the main body of the opening prevention device is attached in the island equipment of an amusement hall, and attach the tip of the wire to that specific screw portion. This allows the wire to be unwound forward from the main body, thereby reliably preventing the main body frame from being opened improperly by the opening prevention device.

Furthermore, multiple specific screw portions may be provided at different positions in the left-right direction. This allows the specific screw portion located in the optimal position to prevent the wire from coming into contact with the position where the main body of the opening prevention device is installed, based on the condition of the island equipment in the amusement hall, to be selected from multiple specific screw portions located in different left-right directions, and the tip of the wire can be attached to that specific screw portion. This prevents the wire of the opening prevention device from coming into contact with other components, thereby avoiding malfunctions caused by wire contact.

Furthermore, a specific part corresponding to the specific screw part may be provided in the specific area. This makes it possible to grasp (identify) the position of the specific screw part by looking at the specific part. This prevents the tip of the wire of the opening prevention device from being mistakenly attached to a location other than the specific screw part.

It is also desirable to provide multiple specific screw portions, and to make the protrusion corresponding to the first specific region where the first specific screw portion is located and the protrusion corresponding to the second specific region where the second specific screw portion is located differ in at least one of the protrusion lengths in the protrusion direction or the length in the direction perpendicular to the protrusion direction. This makes it possible to select and attach a specific screw portion (first specific screw portion or second specific screw portion) with a protrusion that corresponds to the size of the attachment object to be attached to the specific screw portion (for example, the tip of the wire of an opening prevention device). This makes it possible to accommodate attachment objects of various shapes, increasing versatility.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The specific screw portion is
There are multiple units installed at different positions in the front-to-rear direction.
It is characterized by:

However, since the depth (front-to-back direction of the gaming machines) of the island equipment on which the gaming machines are installed varies, if the specific screw part is located behind the main body of the opening prevention device installed on the island equipment, the wire attached to the specific screw part will be pulled out rearward from the main body. If an attempt is made to open the main body frame forward in this state, the wire will loosen, causing the main body frame to open forward to some extent, and there is a risk that fraudulent activity may be committed through the open gap.

According to the configuration of means 2, multiple specific screw portions are provided at different positions in the front-to-rear direction (see the description of the expansion area 520, specific screw portion 521, Figures 128(b) and 129 in the [Embodiment]).

With this configuration, multiple specific screw portions are provided at different positions in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, it is possible to select a specific screw portion located forward of the main body of the opening prevention device from among multiple specific screw portions located at different front-to-back directions, relative to the front-to-back position where the main body of the opening prevention device is attached to the island equipment in the amusement hall, and attach the tip of the wire to that specific screw portion. This allows the wire to be unwound forward from the main body, thereby reliably preventing the main body frame from being opened improperly by the opening prevention device.

Means 3: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The specific screw portion is
There are multiple units installed at different positions in the left and right direction.
It is characterized by:

However, since various devices (components) are attached to the island equipment on which the gaming machines are installed, if the specific screw part is far away from the main body of the opening prevention device attached to the island equipment in the left-right direction, there is a risk that the wire attached to the specific screw part may come into contact with other components when the main body frame is closed or opened forward, causing damage to the wire or other components due to friction.

According to the configuration of means 3, multiple specific screw portions are provided at different positions in the left-right direction (see the description of specific screw portion 521 in the [Description of the Invention], Figure 128(a), etc.).

With this configuration, multiple specific screw portions are provided in different left-right positions. Therefore, depending on the condition of the island equipment in the amusement hall, the specific screw portion located in the optimal position where the wire does not come into contact with the main body of the opening prevention device can be selected from multiple specific screw portions located in different left-right positions, and the tip of the wire can be attached to that specific screw portion. This prevents the wire of the opening prevention device from coming into contact with other components, thereby avoiding malfunctions caused by wire contact.

Means 4: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The specific area includes:
A specific portion corresponding to the specific screw portion is provided.
It is characterized by:

Here, "specific parts" include "screws of a different type from other mounting screws (specific screws, washer screws, pan head screws, etc.)", "extrusion marks as molding marks left on a product by a mechanism for removing the product from a molding die (metal mold) after it has been molded using the molding die (e.g., ejector pins, push-up cores, direct-lift cores, ejection cores, etc.)", "injection port (gate) marks as molding marks left by injection molding of molten resin into a mold", "parting lines as molding marks left by the cut surfaces of an injection molding die", "marks such as arrows, symbols, letters, etc. left by the molding die (metal mold) of a component", "stickers with arrows, symbols, letters, etc. written on them", etc.

According to the configuration of means 4, a specific portion corresponding to the specific screw portion is provided in the specific region (see the description of the specific screw 522, molding mark 524, engraving 525, seal 526, Figures 127 to 130, etc. in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, a specific part corresponding to the specific screw part is provided in the specific area, making it possible to grasp (identify) the position of the specific screw part by looking at the specific part. This prevents the tip of the wire of the opening prevention device from being mistakenly attached to a location other than the specific screw part.

Means 5: In the configuration of Means 1,
"A plurality of the specific screw portions are provided,
The protruding portion corresponding to the first specific region in which a first specific screw portion among the plurality of specific screw portions is arranged and the protruding portion corresponding to the second specific region in which a second specific screw portion is arranged are different in at least one of the protruding length in the protruding direction and the length in the direction perpendicular to the protruding direction.
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 5, a plurality of specific screw portions are provided, and the protruding portion corresponding to the first specific region where the first specific screw portion is arranged among the plurality of specific screw portions differs in at least one of the protruding length in the protruding direction and the length in the direction perpendicular to the protruding direction (see the description of the first expansion region 520a, the second expansion region 520b, Figure 128, etc. in the [Mode for carrying out the invention]).

With this configuration, among the multiple specific screw portions (specific regions), the protrusion in the first specific region and the protrusion in the second specific region differ in at least one of the protrusion length in the protrusion direction and the length in the direction perpendicular to the protrusion direction. This makes it possible to select and attach a specific screw portion (first specific screw portion or second specific screw portion) with a protrusion that corresponds to the size of the attachment object to be attached to the specific screw portion (for example, the tip of the wire of an opening prevention device). This makes it possible to accommodate attachment objects of various shapes, increasing versatility.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce damage to the ball circulation mechanism.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
In this embodiment, the expansion area 520 (first expansion area 520a, second expansion area 520b, third expansion area 520c) of the main frame 4 corresponds to the specific area of the above-mentioned solution means, the specific screw portion 521 and the specific screw portion 521' in this embodiment correspond to the specific screw portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the specific screw 522 in this embodiment corresponds to the screw of the above-mentioned solution means, the protrusion 523 in this embodiment corresponds to the protrusion of the above-mentioned solution means, the specific screw 522, molding mark 524, engraving 525, and seal 526 in this embodiment correspond to the specific part of the above-mentioned solution means, and the ball lifting unit 650 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball circulation mechanism of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when an opening prevention device 6 for preventing unauthorized opening of the main body frame 4 is attached to a pachinko machine 1 installed in an island facility in an amusement hall, the specific screw portion 521 is provided in the expansion area 520 on the lower back surface of the main body frame 4, and the specific screw 522 threaded into the specific screw portion 521 can be used to attach the mounting bracket 6c at the tip of the wire 6b extending from the main body 6a of the opening prevention device 6. In other words, because the specific screw portion 521 is provided in advance, other mounting screws attaching specific components cannot be removed in order to attach the mounting bracket 6c at the tip of the wire 6b at the amusement hall side. Furthermore, when an attempt is made to open the main body frame 4 forward with the mounting bracket 6c at the tip of the wire 6b attached to the specific screw portion 521, the wire 6b is pulled, preventing the wire 6b from being retracted from the main body 6a, preventing the main body frame 4 from opening forward and preventing unauthorized opening and closing.

In this case, because the specific screw portion 521 (expansion area 520) is located closer to the open side than the center in the left-right direction of the main frame 4, any unauthorized attempts to open the main frame 4 forward can be sufficiently prevented by the wire 6b of the opening prevention device 6. Furthermore, because the specific screw 522 is pre-threaded into the specific screw portion 521, the amusement hall does not need to prepare a separate mounting screw to attach the mounting bracket 6c at the end of the wire 6b. Furthermore, because a protrusion 523 that protrudes rearward is provided near the expansion area 520, even if the mounting bracket 6c at the end of the wire 6b attempts to rotate around the specific screw portion 521, a portion of the mounting bracket 6c abuts against the protrusion 523, preventing the mounting bracket 6c from rotating and maintaining a good attachment state of the wire 6b. Furthermore, even if the specific screw 522 of the specific screw portion 521 is removed, the attachment state of the main frame speaker box 504, which is the member to which the mounting bracket 6c at the end of the wire 6b is attached, is maintained. Therefore, the attachment state of the main frame speaker box 504 does not change, and the ball lifting unit 650, which serves as a ball circulation mechanism provided in the main frame 4, is not affected, thereby minimizing damage to the ball lifting unit 650.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the specific screw portion 521 is provided on the main frame speaker box 504, which is a separate component from the ball lifting unit 650. Therefore, even if the main frame 4 is forcibly pulled forward due to fraudulent activity, damaging the specific screw portion 521 where the mounting bracket 6c at the end of the wire 6b is attached, damage to the ball lifting unit 650 can be minimized.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, multiple specific screw portions 521 (expansion regions 520) are provided at different positions in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, it is possible to select a specific screw portion 521 located forward of the main body 6a of the opening prevention device 6 from the multiple specific screw portions 521 located in different front-to-rear directions relative to the front-to-rear position where the main body 6a of the opening prevention device 6 is attached in the island equipment of the amusement hall, and attach the mounting bracket 6c at the tip of the wire 6b. This allows the wire 6b to be unwound forward from the main body 6a, thereby reliably preventing the main body frame 4 from being opened improperly by the opening prevention device 6.

In addition, according to this embodiment, multiple specific screw portions 521 are provided at different positions in the left-right direction. Therefore, depending on the condition of the island equipment in the amusement hall, the specific screw portion 521 located in the optimal position so that the wire 6b does not come into contact with the specific screw portion 521 can be selected from multiple specific screw portions 521 located in different left-right directions relative to the position where the main body 6a of the opening prevention device 6 is attached, and the mounting bracket 6c at the tip of the wire 6b can be attached to that specific screw portion 521. This prevents the wire 6b of the opening prevention device 6 from coming into contact with other components, thereby avoiding malfunctions caused by contact with the wire 6b.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the expansion area 520 is provided with specific parts such as a specific screw 522, molding marks 524, markings 525, and stickers 526 that correspond to the specific screw part 521. This makes it possible to grasp (identify) the position of the specific screw part 521 by looking at the specific parts. This prevents the mounting bracket 6c at the tip of the wire 6b in the opening prevention device 6 from being mistakenly attached to a location other than the specific screw part 521.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the protrusion 523 corresponding to the first expansion region 520a and the protrusion 523 corresponding to the second expansion region 520b have different protrusion lengths in the protrusion direction and in the direction perpendicular to the protrusion direction. This makes it possible to select and install a specific screw portion 521 with a protrusion 523 that corresponds to the size of the mounting bracket 6c of the opening prevention device 6, which is the object to be attached to the specific screw portion 521. This makes it possible to accommodate mounting brackets 6c of various shapes, thereby increasing versatility.

[11-5b. Summary B]
(Background of technical features)
Gaming machines such as pachinko machines are provided with a play area where games are played by the flow of game balls, and a front component that defines the periphery of the play area is also provided (for example, Patent Document: JP 2023-6833 A). The front component is made up of at least one partition member.

However, if the partition member is damaged, such as deformed, during molding, that damage may affect the flow of the game balls, causing them to move in a manner different from the design.

In light of the above situation, the following solution aims to provide a gaming machine equipped with a partition member that can reduce damage during molding.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board in which a partition member is provided outside the playing area,
The partition member is
an outer wall forming an outer edge;
An inner wall provided at a position closer to the play area than the outer wall;
A specific reinforced wall is provided to connect the outer wall and the inner wall,
Any specific traces that may be produced during molding of the partition member are formed on the rear end portions of one or both of the outer wall and the inner wall, but are not formed on the rear end portion of the specific reinforced wall.
It is characterized by:

Here, examples of "compartment members" include "a single member formed to surround the play area (a single member constituting the previous component)" and "a multiple member formed to surround the play area (a multiple member divided into multiple parts, a member constituting part of the previous component)."

Furthermore, the "reinforced walls" may not have a step between the rear ends of the outer and inner walls, or may have a step between the rear ends of the outer or inner walls. Furthermore, the "specific reinforced walls" may refer to all or some of the reinforced walls among multiple reinforced walls.

Further examples of "specific traces" include "extrusion traces (demolding traces) left on a product by a mechanism (e.g., ejector pin, push-up core, direct lift core, ejection core, etc.) used to remove a product from a molding die (metal mold) after it has been molded using the die," "injection port (gate) marks used to inject molten resin into the mold," and "parting lines left by the cut surfaces of the injection molding die." Examples of the shapes of these "specific traces" include "shapes similar to a part of a circle, such as a semicircle," "circle," "triangle," "square," "pentagon," "hexagon," "polygon," "irregular shape," "star shape," "heart shape," etc.

According to the configuration of the first aspect, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board in which a partition member is provided outside the play area, the partition member has an outer wall forming the outer edge, an inner wall provided closer to the play area than the outer wall, and a special reinforced wall provided to connect the outer wall and the inner wall, and special traces that may be generated during molding of the partition member are formed on the rear end of one or both of the outer wall and the inner wall, but not on the rear end of the special reinforced wall (see the description of the partition member 1070, demolding traces 2519, Figures 131 to 133, etc. in Chapter [11-2. Feature 1 of the Special General-Purpose Component] in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, the partition member located outside the play area of the gaming board has specific traces that may be created during molding at the rear ends of the outer and inner walls, while the rear end of the specific reinforced wall connecting the outer and inner walls does not have any specific traces. This prevents the rear end of the specific reinforced wall from being pressed and deformed by an ejector pin or the like when molding the partition member, minimizing damage during molding and preventing the partition member from looking unsightly. Therefore, because deformation of the partition member is suppressed, even if a game ball circulating in the play area comes into contact with the partition member, the game ball will not behave differently from the design, which does not cause distrust among players and allows them to enjoy playing with this gaming machine.

In addition, the partition member is provided with a special reinforced wall connecting the outer wall and inner wall, which increases the strength and rigidity of the partition member, and prevents deformation or damage even when a game ball hits the inner wall.

It is desirable to provide the specific trace portion at least near the connection between the outer wall and the specific reinforced wall. In other words, when the partition member is removed from the molding die, the area near the connection between the rear end of the outer wall and the specific reinforced wall is pressed by an ejector pin or the like. This allows the specific reinforced wall to be smoothly removed from the mold, minimizing damage during molding, even if the rear end of the specific reinforced wall is not pressed, because the area near the connection between the rear end of the outer wall and the specific reinforced wall is pressed by an ejector pin or the like.

It is also desirable to form the specific trace portion in a semicircular shape, with the semicircular arc portion of the specific trace portion formed on the outer wall facing the inner wall. This means that the semicircular specific trace portion on the rear end of the outer wall becomes wider as it approaches the product surface (surface) of the partition member that is visible from the outside. Therefore, when the partition member is manufactured and removed from the molding die, the product surface side of the rear end of the outer wall is pressed with sufficient force by an ejector pin or the like, allowing it to be removed cleanly from the die. This prevents the partition member from looking bad and minimizes damage such as deformation.

It is also desirable to form the specific trace portion in a semicircular shape, with the arc portion of the semicircular trace portion formed on the inner wall facing the outer wall. This allows the semicircular specific trace portion at the rear end of the inner wall to become wider as it approaches the product surface (surface) of the partition member that is visible from the outside. Therefore, when the partition member is manufactured and removed from the molding die, the product surface side of the rear end of the inner wall is pressed with sufficient force by an ejector pin or the like, allowing it to be removed cleanly from the mold. This prevents the partition member from looking bad and minimizes damage such as deformation.

Furthermore, the partition member may be provided on the front side of the transparent gaming board, with the specific trace portion being visible from the rear side of the gaming board. This makes it possible to see the specific trace portion on the partition member from behind the transparent gaming board, so when manufacturing (assembling) the gaming machine (gaming board), the installation position and installation orientation of the partition member can be confirmed by looking at the specific trace portion on the partition member through the transparent gaming board.

Furthermore, the partition member may have a step between the rear ends of the special reinforced wall and the outer or inner wall. This ensures that even if the special reinforced wall is deformed during the manufacturing (molding) of the partition member, the rear end of the special reinforced wall will not protrude beyond the rear ends of the front wall or inner wall. Therefore, when assembling the gaming machine (game board), the deformed special reinforced wall will not come into contact with other components such as the game board and hinder assembly, ensuring reliable assembly.

It is also desirable to provide the specific trace portion in a common pattern on the partition member and on the other components provided on the gaming board. This means that the specific trace portion provided on the partition member is in a common pattern with the specific trace portion of the other components provided on the gaming board. Therefore, even if partition members of different models are mixed together during manufacturing or reuse, by checking the pattern of those specific trace portions, it is possible to distinguish between partition members to be used (as a pair) for the same model, preventing assembly errors and improving workability.

The partitioning member may also be provided with a recess near the specific trace portion. This allows the recess to collect powder generated by the partitioning member vibrating and rubbing against other members (basic members), preventing the powder from entering the play area and affecting the movement of the game ball (play) or detracting from the appearance of the game machine.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The specific trace portion is
It is provided at least near the connection portion between the outer wall and the specific reinforced wall.
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of Means 2, the specific trace portion is provided at least near the connection portion between the outer wall and the specific reinforcing wall (see the descriptions of the partition member 1070, outer wall 1071, reinforcing wall 1073, demolding trace portion 2519, Figure 131, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, a specific trace portion is provided at least near the connection portion between the rear end of the outer wall and the specific reinforced wall. In other words, when the partition member is removed from the molding die, the area near the connection portion between the rear end of the outer wall and the specific reinforced wall is pressed by an ejector pin or the like. As a result, even if the rear end of the specific reinforced wall is not pressed, the area near the connection portion between the rear end of the outer wall and the specific reinforced wall is pressed by an ejector pin or the like, allowing the specific reinforced wall to be smoothly removed from the mold and minimizing damage during molding.

Means 3: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The specific trace portion is formed in a semicircular shape,
The specific trace portion formed on the outer wall is provided so that a semicircular arc portion faces the inner wall.
It is characterized by:

In the configuration of means 3, the specific trace portion is formed in a semicircular shape, and the specific trace portion formed on the outer wall is provided so that the arc portion of the semicircular shape faces the inner wall (see the descriptions of the partition member 1070, outer wall 1071, demolding trace portion 2519, Figure 131, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, the specific trace portion at the rear end of the outer wall is provided with a semicircular arc portion facing the mating side. In other words, the semicircular specific trace portion is provided so that it becomes wider the closer it is to the product surface (surface) of the partition member that is visible from the outside. Therefore, when the partition member is manufactured and removed from the molding die, the product surface side of the rear end of the outer wall is pressed with sufficient force by an ejector pin or the like, allowing it to be removed cleanly from the die. This prevents the partition member from looking bad and minimizes damage such as deformation.

Means 4: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The specific trace portion is formed in a semicircular shape,
The specific trace portion formed on the inner wall is provided so that a semicircular arc portion faces the outer wall.
It is characterized by:

In the configuration of means 4, the specific trace portion is formed in a semicircular shape, and the specific trace portion formed on the inner wall is provided so that the arc portion of the semicircular shape faces the outer wall (see the descriptions of the partition member 1070, inner wall 1072, demolding trace portion 2519, Figure 131, etc. in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, the specific trace portion at the rear end of the inner wall is provided with a semicircular arc portion facing the opposing side. In other words, the semicircular specific trace portion is provided so that it becomes wider the closer it is to the product surface (surface) of the partition member that is visible from the outside. Therefore, when the partition member is manufactured and removed from the molding die, the product surface side of the rear end of the inner wall is pressed with sufficient force by an ejector pin or the like, allowing it to be removed cleanly from the die. This prevents the partition member from looking bad and minimizes damage such as deformation.

Means 5: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The partition member is provided on the front side of the transparent play board, and the specific trace portion is provided so that it can be confirmed from the rear side of the play board."
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 5, the partition member is provided on the front side of the transparent gaming board, and the specific trace portion is provided so that it can be seen from the rear side of the gaming board (see the descriptions of the partition member 1070, gaming panel 1100, demolding trace portion 2519, Figure 131, etc. in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, the partition member is located on the front side of the transparent gaming board, so the specific traces on the partition member can be seen from behind the gaming board. Therefore, when manufacturing (assembling) the gaming machine (gaming board), the installation position and orientation of the partition member can be confirmed by looking at the specific traces on the partition member through the transparent gaming board.

Means 6: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The specific reinforced wall is
A step is provided between the rear ends of the outer or inner walls.
It is characterized by:

In the configuration of means 6, the specific reinforcing wall has a step between the rear ends of the outer or inner walls (see the description of the partition member 1070, outer wall 1071, inner wall 1072, reinforcing wall 1073, Figures 131 to 133, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, a step is provided between the special reinforced wall and the rear ends of the outer or inner walls of the partition member. Therefore, even if the special reinforced wall is deformed during the manufacturing (molding) of the partition member, the rear end of the special reinforced wall will not protrude beyond the rear ends of the front wall or inner wall. This prevents the deformed special reinforced wall from coming into contact with other components, such as the game board, and hindering assembly during assembly of the gaming machine (game board), ensuring reliable assembly.

Means 7: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The specific trace portion is
The partition member and other members provided on the game board are provided in a common manner.
It is characterized by:

Here, "other components on the gaming board" refers to "components that make up the remaining part of the preceding component, in cases where the partitioning component constitutes part of the preceding component," and "components that are attached to the same gaming board (gaming panel) to which the partitioning component is attached (for example, inner rail units, starting hole units, side units, upper left side units, center gimmicks, attacca units, etc.)."

According to the configuration of Means 7, the specific trace portion is provided in a common manner on the partition member and other components provided on the game board (see the descriptions of component member 1000, partition member 1070, etc. in the [Description of the Preferred Embodiments]).

With this configuration, the specific traces on the partition members are the same as the specific traces on other components on the game board. Therefore, even if partition members of different models are mixed together during manufacturing or reuse, by checking the state of those specific traces, it is possible to distinguish between partition members used (as a pair) for the same model, preventing assembly errors and improving workability.

Means 8: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The partition member is
A recess is provided in the vicinity of the specific trace portion.
It is characterized by:

However, because the partition member is located outside the play area, contact of game balls with the inner wall can cause the partition member to vibrate relative to the component to which it is attached (for example, a base component such as a play board). When the partition member vibrates relative to the base component, the area of the partition member that is in contact with the base component (for example, the specific trace area) can rub against each other, generating powder. This powder can then enter the play area, affecting the movement of the game balls (play) or detracting from the appearance of the gaming machine.

In the configuration of means 8, the partitioning member has a recess provided near the specific trace portion (see the description of partitioning member 1070, recess 1075, Figures 131 to 133, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, a recess is provided in the partition member near the specific trace portion, so even if powder is generated when the partition member vibrates and rubs against other members (basic members), the powder can be collected by the recess. This prevents the generated powder from entering the play area, preventing it from affecting the movement of the game ball (play) or spoiling the appearance of the game machine.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide an amusement machine equipped with a partition member that can reduce damage during molding.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The partition members 1070, 1070A, 1070B, and 1070C of the preceding component 1000 in the game board 5 of this embodiment correspond to the partition members of the above-mentioned solution means, the outer wall 1071 in this embodiment corresponds to the outer wall of the above-mentioned solution means, the inner wall 1072 in this embodiment corresponds to the inner wall of the above-mentioned solution means, the reinforcing wall 1073 in this embodiment corresponds to the specific reinforcing wall of the above-mentioned solution means, the recess 1075 in this embodiment corresponds to the recess of the above-mentioned solution means, the game panel 1100 in this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solution means, and the demolding trace portion 2519 in this embodiment corresponds to the specific trace portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the partition member 1070 that constitutes part of the component member 1000 provided outside the play area 5a on the game board 5, demolding traces 2519 are provided as specific traces that may be generated during molding on the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072, while the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 that connects the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072 does not have demolding traces 2519 as specific traces. As a result, when molding the partition member 1070, the end of the reinforcing wall 1073 is not pressed and deformed by an ejector pin or the like, so damage during molding can be suppressed and the appearance of the partition member 1070 is not impaired. Therefore, since deformation of the partition member 1070 is suppressed, even if a game ball B circulating in the game area 5a comes into contact with the partition member 1070, the game ball B will not move differently from the design, so the player will not feel distrustful and can enjoy playing with this pachinko machine 1.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the partition member 1070 is provided with a reinforcing wall 1073 that connects the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072. This reinforcing wall 1073 increases the strength and rigidity of the partition member 1070, and the inner wall 1072 will not be deformed or damaged even if the game ball B comes into contact with it.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the partitioning member 1070 has a demolding trace portion 2519 at least near the connection portion between the reinforcing wall 1073 and the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071. Therefore, when the partitioning member 1070 is demolded from the molding die, an ejector pin or the like is pressed against the portion of the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 near the connection portion between the reinforcing wall 1073 and the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071. As a result, even if the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 is not pressed, the ejector pin or the like is pressed against the portion of the end of the outer wall 1071 near the connection portion between the reinforcing wall 1073 and the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071. This allows the reinforcing wall 1073 and the like to be smoothly removed from the mold, minimizing damage during molding.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the demolding trace 2519 formed on the outer wall 1071 of the partitioning member 1070 is provided so that the semicircular arc portion faces the inner wall 1072. In other words, the semicircular demolding trace 2519 provided on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 is provided so that it becomes wider as it approaches the product surface (surface) of the partitioning member 1070 that is visible from the outside. Therefore, in the manufacture of the partitioning member 1070, when the partitioning member 1070 is demolded from the molding die, the product surface side portion of the end of the outer wall 1071 is pressed with sufficient force by an ejector pin or the like, allowing it to be removed cleanly from the die. This prevents the appearance of the partitioning member 1070 from being compromised and suppresses damage such as deformation.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the demolding trace 2519 formed on the inner wall 1072 of the partitioning member 1070 is provided so that the semicircular arc portion faces the outer wall 1071. In other words, the semicircular demolding trace 2519 provided on the rear end surface of the inner wall 1072 is provided so that it becomes wider as it approaches the product surface (surface) of the partitioning member 1070 that is visible from the outside. Therefore, in the manufacture of the partitioning member 1070, when the partitioning member 1070 is demolded from the molding die, the product surface side portion of the end of the inner wall 1072 is pressed with sufficient force by an ejector pin or the like, allowing the partitioning member 1070 to be removed cleanly from the mold. This prevents the appearance of the partitioning member 1070 from being compromised and suppresses damage such as deformation.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the partition member 1070 is provided on the front side of the transparent game panel 1100, and the demolding trace portion 2519 is provided so that it can be seen from the rear side of the game panel 1100. Therefore, the demolding trace portion 2519 provided on the partition member 1070 can be seen from behind the transparent game panel 1100. Therefore, during the manufacture (assembly) of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), the installation position and installation orientation of the partition member 1070 can be confirmed by looking at the demolding trace portion 2519 of the partition member 1070 through the transparent game panel 1100.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a step is provided between the rear end surfaces of the reinforcing wall 1073 and the outer wall 1071 or inner wall 1072 in the partition member 1070A (partition member 1070C). Therefore, even if the reinforcing wall 1073 is deformed during the manufacturing (molding) of the partition member 1070A (partition member 1070C), the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073 will not protrude further rearward than the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071, inner wall 1072, etc. Therefore, when assembling the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), the deformed reinforcing wall 1073 will not come into contact with other components such as the game panel 1100 and hinder assembly, ensuring reliable assembly.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the demolding traces 2519 provided on the partition member 1070 have the same configuration as the demolding traces 2519 of other components provided on the game board 5 (for example, the components constituting the component 1000 excluding the partition member 1070). Therefore, even if partition members 1070 of different models are mixed together during manufacturing or reuse, by checking the configuration of these demolding traces 2519, it is possible to distinguish between partition members 1070 to be used (as a pair) for the same model, preventing assembly errors and improving workability.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the partition member 1070 has a recess 1075 provided near the demolding trace portion 2519. Therefore, even if powder is generated due to vibration and friction between the partition member 1070 and the game panel 1100, the powder can be collected by the recess 1075. This prevents the powder generated by friction from entering the game area 5a, and does not affect the movement (play) of the game ball B or impair the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

[11-5c. Summary C]
(Background of technical features)
From the viewpoint of effective utilization of resources, gaming machines equipped with components that are easy to recycle or reuse have been proposed (for example, Patent Document: JP 2022-168897 A). However, when components removed from gaming machines are reused, there is a risk that some workers may reuse components that are not suitable for reuse due to dirt, wear, or the like.

The following solution takes into consideration the above situation and aims to provide a gaming machine equipped with components that make it easy to determine whether or not they can be reused.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a specific general-purpose component that is detachably attached to a predetermined basic component,
The specific general-purpose member is
a specific area that is an area that can be contacted with the basic member when attached to the basic member and is an area that can be seen from the outside when removed from the basic member;
a non-specific area that is an area that cannot come into contact with the basic member when attached to the basic member,
a first specific portion that can come into contact with the base member is provided in the specific region;
a second specific portion that cannot come into contact with the basic member is provided in the non-specific region;
The first and second identifying portions have substantially the same identifying features.
It is characterized by:

Here, "basic components" include "a game board (game panel) with a play area at the front," "a rear box attached to the rear of the game board," "an outer frame," "a main frame base of a main frame that can be attached to the outer frame in an openable and closable manner," and "a door frame main body of a door frame that can be attached to the main frame or outer frame in an openable and closable manner."

Further examples of "specific general-purpose components" include "front components provided outside the play area," "components provided within the play area (e.g., inner rail unit, starting port unit, side unit, upper left side unit, center gimmick, attacca unit, etc.)," "decorative components removably provided on the door frame at the front of the gaming machine (e.g., door frame top decorative body, door frame left side decorative body, door frame right side decorative body, etc.)," and "components attached to the rear of the play panel in front of which the play area is provided (e.g., rear box, rear ball guide unit, rear board unit, etc.)."

Furthermore, examples of "first specific parts" include "molding marks that occur during the molding of specific general-purpose components," "raised engravings (embossments)," and "applied paint." Furthermore, examples of "molding marks" include "extrusion marks left on a product by a mechanism (e.g., ejector pin, push-up core, direct-lift core, ejection core, etc.) for removing a product from a molding die (metal mold) after the product has been molded using the molding die," "marks from the injection port (gate) used to inject molten resin into the mold," and "parting lines created by the cut surfaces of the injection molding die."

In addition, examples of the shape of the "first specific portion" include a "circle," a "semicircle," an "oval," a "polygon such as a triangle, square, pentagon, or hexagon," an "irregular shape such as a star, heart, or arrow," a "symbol," or a "letter," etc.

Further examples of "second specific parts" include "molding marks that occur during the molding of specific general-purpose components," "convex or concave markings," "applied paint," "seals," and "reinforced walls."

In addition, examples of the shape of the "second specific portion" include a "circle," a "semicircle," an "oval," a "polygon such as a triangle, square, pentagon, or hexagon," an "irregular shape such as a star, heart, or arrow," a "symbol," or a "letter," etc.

Furthermore, for the first and second specified parts to have "substantially the same distinguishing features," it is sufficient that they are similar (they may or may not be completely identical) in at least one of the following: size, shape, color, configuration (molding marks, engravings, paint, stickers, etc.). For example, the first and second specified parts may have the same configuration or shape, or one of the configuration or shape may be different.

According to the configuration of Method 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a specific general-purpose component that is detachably attached to a predetermined basic component, the specific general-purpose component has a specific region that is contactable with the basic component when attached to the basic component and is visible from the outside when detached from the basic component, and a non-specific region that is inaccessible to the basic component when attached to the basic component. The specific region has a first specific portion that is contactable with the basic component, and the non-specific region has a second specific portion that is inaccessible to the basic component, and the first specific portion and the second specific portion have substantially the same distinguishing features. (See Chapter 11-3. Characteristics 2 of the Specific General-purpose Component in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention], the descriptions of the partitioning component 1070, the contact region 1076, the non-contact region 1077, the specific contact region 1078, the specific non-contact region 1079, the demolding traces 2519, Figures 134 to 137, etc.)

According to this configuration, when the specific general-purpose component is attached to the basic component, the first specific portion, located in a specific area of the specific general-purpose component that can come into contact with the basic component, contacts the basic component. When the gaming machine is used in this state, the specific general-purpose component vibrates relative to the basic component, generating friction between the first specific portion and the basic component. When a used gaming machine is disassembled for recycling or other purposes and the specific general-purpose component is removed from the basic component, the first specific portion located in the specific area of the specific general-purpose component becomes visible. At this time, the identification aspect (e.g., visibility) of the first specific portion of the specific general-purpose component changes due to friction with the basic component. Meanwhile, the second specific portion, located in a non-specific area of the specific general-purpose component, does not contact the basic component. Therefore, no friction occurs between the specific general-purpose component and the basic component even when the gaming machine is used, and the identification aspect of the second specific portion does not change. For this reason, when reusing a removed specific general-purpose component, comparing the first specific part, whose identification pattern has changed due to wear caused by friction, with the second specific part, whose identification pattern has not changed, can be used as a basis for determining whether the specific general-purpose component can be reused, making it easy to determine whether it can be reused.

To determine whether or not this specific general-purpose part can be reused, for example, if the first specific part and the second specific part look the same, it can be determined that it is reusable, but if the first specific part and the second specific part look clearly different (for example, if the first specific part has many scratches, or if the first specific part has been worn away and disappeared), it can be determined that it is not reusable.

It is desirable to provide the second identifying portion near the first identifying portion. This makes it easy to identify the location of the first identifying portion by looking at the second identifying portion when reusing the specified general-purpose component, thereby improving the workability of determining whether the specified general-purpose component can be reused.

Furthermore, while the specific general-purpose component is attached to the basic component, the first and second specific parts may be visible through the basic component. This makes it possible to compare the first and second specific parts before removing the specific general-purpose component to determine whether the specific general-purpose component is reusable.

The specified general-purpose component may also comprise a plate-shaped wall portion and a plurality of reinforcing walls extending from the side walls of the wall portion, with the first specific portion located near the connection point with the reinforcing wall at the end of the wall portion, which is the specified region, and the reinforcing wall near the first specific portion may be provided with a step between the end of the wall portion and the end of the wall portion, which serves as a second specific portion in the non-specified region. This allows the first specific portion to be located near the connection point with the reinforcing wall at the end of the wall portion that can come into contact with the basic component, and the reinforcing wall that does not come into contact with the basic component to be the second specific portion. Therefore, the position of the first specific portion can be easily identified by looking at the second specific portion, improving the workability of determining whether the specified general-purpose component is reusable.

Furthermore, as described above, if the specific general-purpose component is provided with a wall portion and multiple reinforcing walls extending from the wall portion, the reinforcing walls can increase the strength and rigidity of the specific general-purpose component, making it less susceptible to deformation or damage.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a recess near the first specific portion of the specific general-purpose component. By providing a recess near the first specific portion, the recess can collect powder generated by friction at the first specific portion, preventing the generated powder from affecting gameplay or marring the appearance of the gaming machine.

In addition, at least one of the first and second specific portions may be a molding mark that occurs when the specific general-purpose component is molded. In this way, since the first and second specific portions are molding marks that occur when the specific general-purpose component is molded, there is no need to mark the molding die, apply paint, or affix a sticker in order to provide the first and second specific portions, which helps to reduce increases in the costs associated with the gaming machine.

The specific general-purpose component may also be composed of a plate-shaped wall and a reinforcing wall extending from the side wall of the wall, with a first specific portion provided at the rear end of the wall, the first specific portion being a demolding trace as a molding trace, and the rear end of the reinforcing wall not being provided with a demolding trace as a specific trace (molding trace). This prevents the rear end of the reinforcing wall from being pressed and deformed by an ejector pin or the like when molding the specific general-purpose component, thereby minimizing damage during molding and preventing the specific general-purpose component from becoming unattractive. Therefore, because deformation of the specific general-purpose component is suppressed, even if a gaming ball comes into contact with the specific general-purpose component, the gaming ball will not behave differently from the design, which does not cause distrust among players and allows them to enjoy playing with this gaming machine.

Furthermore, as described above, when the specified general-purpose component comprises a plate-shaped wall portion and multiple reinforcing walls extending from the side walls of the wall portion, the first specified portion is provided near the connection between the rear end of the wall portion and the reinforcing wall, and a step is provided between the rear end of the reinforcing wall and the rear end of the wall portion, the first specified portion may be formed in a semicircular shape, and the first specified portion provided at the rear end of the wall portion may be provided with an arc portion of the semicircular shape facing the side wall to which the reinforcing wall is connected. In this way, because the first specified portion provided at the rear end of the wall portion is semicircular, it can be identified as the first specified portion by its shape, and the same effects as those described above can be achieved by looking at the first specified portion.

Furthermore, when providing a semicircular first specific portion at the rear end of the wall portion as described above, the first specific portion provided at the rear end of the wall portion may be a demolding trace as a molding trace, and no demolding trace may be provided at the rear end of the reinforced wall. In this way, the semicircular first specific portion (demolding trace) provided at the rear end of the wall portion is wider the closer it is to the product surface (surface) of the specific general-purpose component that is visible from the outside. Therefore, when the specific general-purpose component is demolded from the molding mold in the manufacture of the specific general-purpose component, the product surface side of the rear end of the wall portion is pressed with sufficient force by an ejector pin or the like, allowing it to be removed cleanly from the mold. This prevents the specific general-purpose component from looking bad and minimizes damage such as deformation.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The specific general-purpose member includes a plate-shaped wall portion and a plurality of reinforcing walls extending from the side walls of the wall portion,
the first specific portion is provided in the vicinity of a connection portion between the reinforcing wall and a rear end portion of the wall portion, which is the specific region,
The reinforced wall in the vicinity of the first specific portion has a step between it and the rear end of the wall portion as the second specific portion of the non-specific region.
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 2, the specific general-purpose component comprises a plate-shaped wall portion and a plurality of reinforcing walls extending from the side walls of the wall portion, and the first specific portion is provided near the connection portion with the reinforcing wall at the rear end of the wall portion, which is the specific region, and the reinforcing wall near the first specific portion is provided with a step between it and the end of the wall portion, which serves as the second specific portion of the non-specific region (see the descriptions of the partition member 1070A, outer wall 1071, inner wall 1072, reinforcing wall 1073, demolding trace portion 2519, Figure 136, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, a first identifying portion is provided near the connection between the reinforced wall and the rear end of the wall portion that can come into contact with the basic component, and the reinforced wall that does not come into contact with the basic component is the second identifying portion. Therefore, by looking at the second identifying portion, the position of the first identifying portion can be easily identified, improving the workability of the task of determining whether a specified general-purpose component is reusable.

In addition, the specific general-purpose component is provided with a wall portion and multiple reinforcing walls extending from the wall portion, which increase the strength and rigidity of the specific general-purpose component, making it less susceptible to deformation or damage.

Means 3: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The specific general-purpose component is
A recess is provided in the vicinity of the first specific portion.
It is characterized by:

However, the first specific part of the specific general-purpose component is designed so that its identification pattern changes due to friction with the basic component. This causes the first specific part to wear down and produce powder, which could affect gameplay or make the product look unsightly.

In the configuration of Means 3, the specific general-purpose member has a recess provided near the first specific portion (see the description of the partition member 1070, recess 1075, Figures 134 to 137, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, a recess is provided near the first specific portion, so that powder generated by friction in the first specific portion can be collected by the recess, preventing the generated powder from affecting gameplay or marring the appearance of the gaming machine.

Means 4: In the configuration of Means 1,
"At least one of the first specific part and the second specific part is
These are molding marks that occur during the molding of the specific general-purpose component.
It is characterized by:

Here, "molding marks" include "extrusion marks left on a product by a mechanism (e.g., ejector pin, push-up core, direct lift core, ejection core, etc.) used to remove a product from a molding die (metal mold) after the product has been molded using the molding die," "marks from the injection port (gate) used to inject molten resin into the mold," and "parting lines left by the cut surfaces of the injection molding die."

According to the configuration of Means 4, at least one of the first specific portion and the second specific portion is a molding mark that occurs during molding of the specific general-purpose component (see the descriptions of the specific contact portion 1078, the specific non-contact portion 1079, the demolding mark portion 2519, Figures 134 to 137, etc. in the [Description of the Preferred Embodiments]).

With this configuration, the first and second specific portions are molding marks that are created when the specific general-purpose component is molded. This eliminates the need to mark the molding die, apply paint, or attach stickers to create the first and second specific portions, thereby minimizing increases in the costs of the gaming machine.

The specific general-purpose component may be composed of a plate-shaped wall and a reinforcing wall extending from the side wall of the wall, with a first specific portion provided at the rear end of the wall, the first specific portion being a demolding trace as a molding mark, and the rear end of the reinforcing wall not having a demolding trace as a molding mark. This prevents the rear end of the reinforcing wall from being pressed and deformed by an ejector pin or the like when molding the specific general-purpose component, thereby minimizing damage during molding and preventing the specific general-purpose component from becoming unattractive. Therefore, because deformation of the specific general-purpose component is suppressed, even if a gaming ball comes into contact with the specific general-purpose component, the gaming ball will not behave differently from the design, which does not cause distrust among players and allows them to enjoy playing with this gaming machine.

Means 5: In the configuration of Means 2,
"The first specific portion is formed in a semicircular shape,
The first specific portion provided at the rear end of the wall portion is provided with a semicircular arc portion directed toward the side wall to which the reinforcing wall is connected.
It is characterized by:

In the configuration of means 5, the first specific portion is formed in a semicircular shape, and the first specific portion provided at the rear end of the wall portion is provided with the arc portion of the semicircular shape facing the side wall to which the reinforcing wall is connected (see the descriptions of the outer wall 1071, inner wall 1072, reinforcing wall 1073, demolding trace portion 2519, Figures 134 to 137, etc. in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, the first specific portion provided at the rear end of the wall portion is semicircular, making it possible to identify the first specific portion by its shape, and by looking at the first specific portion, the same effect as above can be achieved.

The first specific portion provided at the rear end of the wall may be a demolding mark as a molding mark, and the rear end of the reinforced wall may not have a demolding mark as a molding mark. This allows the semicircular first specific portion (demolding mark) provided at the rear end of the wall to be wider as it approaches the product surface (surface) of the specific general-purpose component that is visible from the outside. Therefore, when the specific general-purpose component is being manufactured, the product surface side of the rear end of the wall can be pressed with sufficient force by an ejector pin or the like to remove the component from the molding die, allowing it to be removed cleanly from the die. This prevents the specific general-purpose component from looking bad and minimizes damage such as deformation.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide an amusement machine equipped with components that make it easy to determine whether they can be reused.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The partition member 1070 (partition member 1070A to partition member 1070C) in the component 1000 of this embodiment corresponds to a specific general-purpose member of the above-mentioned solution means, the game panel 1100 of this embodiment corresponds to a basic member of the above-mentioned solution means, the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072 of this embodiment correspond to the wall portions of the above-mentioned solution means, the contact area 1076 of this embodiment corresponds to a specific area of the above-mentioned solution means, the non-contact area 1077 of this embodiment corresponds to a non-specific area of the above-mentioned solution means, the specific contact portion 1078 and the demolding trace portion 2519 of this embodiment correspond to a first specific portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the specific non-contact portion 1079 and the demolding trace portion 2519 of this embodiment correspond to a second specific portion of the above-mentioned solution means, and the demolding trace portion 2519 of this embodiment corresponds to the molding marks of the above-mentioned solution means.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the game board 5, a partition member 1070 as a specific general-purpose member constituting the component member 1000 is provided with a specific contact portion 1078 and a specific non-contact portion 1079 in a substantially identical identifying manner. When this partition member 1070 is attached to the game panel 1100, the specific contact portion 1078 provided in a contact area 1076 of the partition member 1070 that can come into contact with the game panel 1100 is in contact with the game panel 1100. When the pachinko machine 1 is used in this state, the partition member 1070 vibrates relative to the game panel 1100, and friction occurs between the specific contact portion 1078 and the game panel 1100. When a used pachinko machine 1 is disassembled for recycling or the like and the partition member 1070 is removed from the game panel 1100, the specific contact portion 1078 provided in the contact area 1076 of the partition member 1070 becomes visible. At this time, the identification mode (e.g., visibility) of the specific contact portion 1078 of the partition member 1070 changes due to friction with the game panel 1100. On the other hand, the specific non-contact portion 1079 provided in the non-contact area 1077 of the partition member 1070 does not come into contact with the game panel 1100, so even when the pachinko machine 1 is used, no friction occurs between the game panel 1100 and the specific non-contact portion 1079, and the identification mode of the specific non-contact portion 1079 does not change. For this reason, when reusing the removed partition member 1070, by comparing the specific contact portion 1078, whose identification behavior has changed due to wear caused by friction, with the specific non-contact portion 1079, whose identification behavior has not changed, it is possible to determine whether or not the partition member 1070 can be reused, and it is easy to determine whether or not it can be reused.

To determine whether or not this partition member 1070 can be reused, for example, if the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 look the same, it can be determined that it can be reused, but if the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 look clearly different (for example, if the specific contact portion 1078 has many scratches, or if the specific contact portion 1078 has been worn away and disappeared), it can be determined that it cannot be reused.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the specific non-contact portion 1079 is provided near the specific contact portion 1078. Therefore, when reusing the partition member 1070, the position of the specific contact portion 1078 can be easily identified by looking at the specific non-contact portion 1079, thereby improving the workability of determining whether the partition member 1070 can be reused.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the partition member 1070 is attached to the gaming panel 1100, the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 are visible through the transparent gaming panel 1100. Therefore, before removing the partition member 1070, the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 can be compared to determine whether the partition member 1070 is reusable.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the partition member 1070A (partition member 1070C) has a specific contact portion 1078 near the connection portion with the reinforced wall 1073 on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072, which can come into contact with the gaming panel 1100, and the rear end surface of the reinforced wall 1073, which does not come into contact with the gaming panel 1100, is a specific non-contact portion 1079.Therefore, by looking at the specific non-contact portion 1079, i.e., the reinforced wall 1073, the position of the specific contact portion 1078 can be easily identified, thereby improving the workability of the task of determining whether the partition member 1070 is reusable.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the partition member 1070 is provided with multiple reinforcing walls 1073 extending from the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072. The reinforcing walls 1073 increase the strength and rigidity of the partition member 1070, making it less susceptible to deformation or damage.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a recess 1075 is provided near the specific contact portion 1078 of the partition member 1070, so that powder generated by friction at the specific contact portion 1078 can be collected by the recess 1075, preventing the generated powder from affecting gameplay or marring the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, at least one of the specific contact portion 1078 and the specific non-contact portion 1079 is a molding mark (demolding mark portion 2519) that is created when the partition member 1070 is molded. Therefore, there is no need to mark the molding die, apply paint, or attach a sticker in order to provide the specific contact portion 1078 or the specific non-contact portion 1079, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the partition member 1070 has demolding traces 2519 as specific contact portions 1078 on the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and inner wall 1072, while no demolding traces 2519 are provided on the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. This prevents the end of the reinforcing wall from being pressed and deformed by an ejector pin or the like when molding the partition member 1070, thereby minimizing damage during molding and preventing the appearance of the partition member 1070 from being impaired. Therefore, because deformation of the partition member 1070 is suppressed, even if game ball B comes into contact with the partition member 1070, the game ball B will not behave differently from the design, which does not cause distrust among players and allows them to enjoy playing with this pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the specific contact portion 1078 consisting of the demolding trace portion 2519 is semicircular on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072 of the partition member 1070. Therefore, the specific contact portion 1078 can be identified by its shape, and the same effect as above can be achieved by looking at the specific contact portion 1078.

In addition, according to this embodiment, in the partition member 1070, the specific contact portion 1078 provided on the rear end surface of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072 is semicircular with the arc portion facing the side wall to which the reinforcing wall 1073 is connected, and the specific contact portion 1078 is a demolding trace portion 2519 as a molding trace, and no demolding trace portion 2519 is provided on the rear end surface of the reinforcing wall 1073. As a result, the semicircular specific contact portions 1078 (demolding trace portions 2519) provided on the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072 are designed to become wider the closer they are to the product surface (surface) of the partition member 1070, which is visible from the outside. Therefore, when the partition member 1070 is manufactured and demolded from the molding die, the product surface side portions of the rear end surfaces of the outer wall 1071 and the inner wall 1072 are pressed with sufficient force by an ejector pin or the like, allowing the partition member to be removed cleanly from the mold, preventing the appearance of the partition member 1070 from being compromised and minimizing damage such as deformation.

[11-5d. Summary D]
(Background of technical features)
Gaming machines such as pachinko machines are provided with multiple circuit boards that control games, presentations, and the like, and these circuit boards are electrically connected by multiple harnesses (harness portions) (for example, Patent Document: JP 2022-109544 A). The harnesses are composed of multiple electric wires. However, when harnesses are reused from the viewpoint of effective utilization of resources, there is a risk that some workers will reuse harnesses that are dirty and unsuitable for reuse.

The following solution takes into consideration the above situation and aims to provide a gaming machine equipped with a harness that makes it easy to determine whether or not it can be reused.

(Technical feature solutions)
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a harness having multiple electric wires,
The harness portion is
It has at least one specific electric wire and a greater number of general electric wires than the specific electric wire,
The first harness portion of the harness portion includes:
The color of the general electric wire is configured to have a lower brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire,
The second harness portion of the harness portion is
The color of the general electric wire is configured to have a higher brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire.
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a harness section having multiple electric wires, the harness section has at least one specific electric wire and a greater number of general electric wires than the specific electric wires, and a first harness section of the harness section is configured so that the color of the general electric wire is lower in brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire, and a second harness section of the harness section is configured so that the color of the general electric wire is higher in brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire (see chapter [11-4. Harness Section] in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention], the descriptions of harness section 1700, specific harness section 1700A, general harness section 1700B, electric wire 1720, specific electric wire 1721, general electric wire 1722, Figures 138 and 139, etc.).

According to this configuration, in a gaming machine equipped with multiple harnesses each consisting of at least one specific electric wire and a greater number of general electric wires, the multiple harnesses include a first harness in which the color of the general electric wire is lower in brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire, and a second harness in which the color of the general electric wire is higher in brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire. As a result, when dirt accumulates on the multiple harnesses during use of the gaming machine, even if the actual degree of dirt is the same, the dirt is less noticeable in the first harness because the color of the general electric wire, which is more numerous, is dark, while the dirt is more noticeable in the second harness because the color of the general electric wire, which is more numerous, is bright. This makes it possible to reuse the first harness, in which the dirt is less noticeable. In this case, the actual degree of dirt can be confirmed by looking at the second harness, in which the dirt is more noticeable. Therefore, based on the degree of dirt on the second harness, first harnesses that are too dirty can be avoided from being reused and first harnesses with only minor dirt can be reused, making it easy to determine whether or not a harness is reusable.

It is desirable to install the specific electric wires in the first harness section so that they are hidden by multiple general electric wires. This allows the specific electric wires, which are lighter in color than the more numerous general electric wires in the first harness section, to be hidden by multiple general electric wires, making it difficult for dirt to adhere to the light-colored specific electric wires and making dirt on the first harness section less noticeable overall.

Furthermore, as described above, when specific electric wires are installed in the first harness part so that they are hidden by multiple general electric wires, the light-colored specific electric wires are less likely to become dirty. Therefore, when reusing the first harness part, by comparing the degree of dirt on the parts of the specific electric wires in the first harness part that are hidden by the general electric wires with the parts that are not hidden by the general electric wires, it is possible to confirm the original degree of dirt, and this can be used as information to determine whether the first harness part can be reused.

Furthermore, the gaming machine may be provided with a specific part that is brighter or more saturated than the general electrical wires of the first harness section. This allows the specific part to be provided with a color that is brighter or more saturated (brighter) than the color of the general electrical wires of the first harness section, so that the actual degree of dirt can be confirmed by looking at the specific part, making it easy to determine whether the first harness section is reusable.

It is also desirable that each of the multiple harness sections has a connector at both ends, and that the connector of at least one harness section, excluding the first harness section, has a higher brightness or saturation than the general electric wire of the first harness section. As a result, the color of the connectors in some of the multiple harness sections, excluding the first harness section, is a lighter color than the color of the general electric wire of the first harness section, so that the actual degree of dirt can be confirmed by looking at the connector, making it easy to determine whether the first harness section is reusable.

It is also desirable to arrange the multiple harness sections so that they can be seen from the outside. This allows the multiple harness sections to be seen from the outside while they are attached to the gaming machine, so that before removing the harness section from the gaming machine, it is possible to determine whether the first harness section can be reused by checking the degree of dirt on the second harness section.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The first harness portion is
The specific electric wire is installed so as to be hidden by multiple general electric wires.
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 2, the first harness section is attached so that the specific electric wire is hidden among multiple general electric wires (see the descriptions of specific harness section 1700A, specific electric wire 1721, Figure 138, etc. in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, in the first harness section, specific electric wires that are brighter in color than the more numerous general electric wires are hidden by multiple general electric wires. This makes it difficult for dirt to adhere to the brightly colored specific electric wires, making dirt on the first harness section less noticeable overall.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, because the specific electric wires in the first harness part are hidden by multiple general electric wires, the light-colored specific electric wires are less likely to become dirty. Therefore, when reusing the first harness part, by comparing the degree of dirt on the parts of the specific electric wires in the first harness part that are hidden by the general electric wires with the parts that are not hidden by the general electric wires, it is possible to confirm the original degree of dirt, and this can be used as information to determine whether the first harness part can be reused.

Means 3: In the configuration of Means 1,
"A specific portion having a higher brightness or saturation than the general electric wire of the first harness portion is provided."
It is characterized by:

Here, examples of "specific parts" include "connectors that make up the harness part," "sockets on the circuit board to which the connectors on the harness part are connected," and "stickers attached to circuit board boxes, etc."

According to the configuration of means 3, the gaming machine is provided with a specific section that has a higher brightness or saturation than the general wires of the first harness section (see the description of the specific indication section 1740, Figures 138 and 139, etc. in the [Description of the Preferred Embodiments]).

With this configuration, a specific part is provided that has a color that is brighter or more saturated (brighter) than the color of the general wires in the first harness part. By looking at this specific part, the actual degree of dirt can be confirmed, making it easy to determine whether the first harness part is reusable.

Means 4: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The plurality of harness parts are
There are connectors on both ends of each
The connector of at least one of the harness sections excluding the first harness section has a higher brightness or saturation than the general electric wire of the first harness section.
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 4, the multiple harness sections each have a connector at both ends, and the connector of at least one harness section, excluding the first harness section, has a higher brightness or saturation than the general wire of the first harness section (see the description of general harness section 1700B, connector 1710, Figure 139, etc. in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With this configuration, the color of the connectors in some of the multiple harness sections, excluding the first harness section, is a lighter color than the color of the general electrical wires in the first harness section. This allows the user to check the original state of contamination by looking at the connectors, making it easy to determine whether the first harness section can be reused.

Means 5: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The plurality of harness parts are
It is positioned so that it can be seen from outside.
It is characterized by:

In the configuration of means 5, the multiple harness sections are arranged so that they can be seen from the outside (see the description of harness section 1700, Figure 138, etc. in the [Description of the Invention]).

With this configuration, multiple harness sections can be visually confirmed from the outside while they are attached to the gaming machine. Therefore, before removing the harness section from the gaming machine, it is possible to determine whether the first harness section can be reused by checking the degree of dirt on the second harness section.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine equipped with a harness that makes it easy to determine whether it can be reused.

(Relationship between the solution of technical features and embodiments)
The harness section 1700 in this embodiment corresponds to the harness section of the above-mentioned solution means, the specific harness section 1700A, first harness section 1701, and second harness section 1702 in this embodiment correspond to the first harness section of the above-mentioned solution means, the general harness section 1700B and third harness section 1703 in this embodiment correspond to the second harness section of the above-mentioned solution means, and the connector 1710 of the third harness section 1703 in this embodiment corresponds to the connector of the above-mentioned solution means.

The electric wire 1720 in this embodiment corresponds to the electric wire of the above-mentioned solution, the specific electric wire 1721 in this embodiment corresponds to the specific electric wire of the above-mentioned solution, the general electric wire 1722 in this embodiment corresponds to the general electric wire of the above-mentioned solution, and the connector 1710 of the third harness part 1703, the socket 1731 of the board 1730, and the specific suggestion part 1740 in this embodiment correspond to the specific part of the above-mentioned solution.

(Characteristic effects of this embodiment)
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a plurality of harness sections 1700 are provided, each of which is composed of at least one specific electric wire 1721 and a greater number of general electric wires 1722 than the specific electric wire 1721, and the plurality of harness sections 1700 are provided with a specific harness section 1700A in which the color of the general electric wires 1722 is lower in brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire 1721, and a general harness section 1700B in which the color of the general electric wires 1722 is higher in brightness or saturation than the color of the specific electric wire 1721. As a result, when dirt adheres to the plurality of harness sections 1700 through use of the pachinko machine 1, even if the actual degree of dirt is the same, the dirt is less noticeable in the specific harness section 1700A because the general electric wires 1722, which are numerous, are dark in color, and more noticeable in the general harness section 1700B because the general electric wires 1722, which are numerous, are bright in color. Therefore, it is possible to reuse the specific harness part 1700A where the dirt is not easily noticeable. At this time, since the original degree of dirt can be confirmed by looking at the general harness part 1700B where the dirt is easily noticeable, it is possible to not reuse the specific harness part 1700A that is too dirty based on the degree of dirt on the general harness part 1700B, and to reuse the specific harness part 1700A that is only lightly dirty, and it is possible to easily determine whether or not to reuse.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the specific harness section 1700A, the specific electric wires 1721, which are lighter in color than the more numerous general electric wires 1722, are hidden by the multiple general electric wires 1722. This makes it difficult for dirt to adhere to the light-colored specific electric wires 1721, and makes dirt on the specific harness section 1700A less noticeable overall.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the specific harness part 1700A, the specific electric wire 1721 is attached so as to be hidden by multiple general electric wires 1722, so the light-colored specific electric wire 1721 is less likely to become dirty. Therefore, when reusing the specific harness part 1700A, the original degree of dirt can be confirmed by comparing the degree of dirt on the part of the specific electric wire 1721 of the specific harness part 1700A that is hidden by the general electric wires 1722 with the part that is not hidden by the general electric wires 1722, and this can be used as information to determine whether the specific harness part 1700A can be reused.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pachinko machine 1 is provided with a specific indication section 1740, which is a specific section with a color (a bright color) that is brighter or more saturated than the color of the general electric wire 1722 of the specific harness section 1700A. Therefore, by looking at the specific indication section 1740, the actual degree of dirt can be confirmed, making it easy to determine whether the specific harness section 1700A is reusable.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the color of the connectors 1710 at both ends of some of the harness sections 1700 (general harness section 1700B), excluding the specific harness section 1700A, is a lighter color than the color of the general electric wires 1722 in the specific harness section 1700A. Therefore, by looking at the connectors 1710, the actual state of dirt can be confirmed, making it easy to determine whether the specific harness section 1700A is reusable.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the multiple harness sections 1700 are arranged so that they can be seen from the outside. Therefore, when the multiple harness sections 1700 are attached to the pachinko machine 1, the multiple harness sections 1700 can be seen from the outside. Therefore, before removing the harness sections 1700 from the pachinko machine 1, it is possible to determine whether the specific harness section 1700A can be reused by checking the degree of dirt on the general harness section 1700B.

The above describes embodiments for implementing the present invention, but the above embodiments can be modified as appropriate without departing from the technical concept of the present invention. In other words, the technical concept of the present invention can be applied even if the above embodiments are partially modified or multiple embodiments are combined.

For example, in the above embodiment, the pachinko machine 1 is shown as being applied to an enclosed gaming machine or a gaming machine called a managed gaming machine, in which prize balls are not paid out to the player, but it is not limited to this and may also be applied to pachinko machines in which prize balls are paid out to the player, slot machines, pachislot machines, gaming machines that combine pachinko and pachislot machines, etc., in which prize balls are paid out to the player, and in these cases, the same effects as those described above can be achieved.

1 Pachinko machine 2 Outer frame 3 Door frame 4 Main body frame 5 Game board 5a Game area 650 Ball lifting unit (ball circulation mechanism)
660 Ball lifting mechanism (ball circulation mechanism)
668 Lifting mechanism base 668b Cassette mounting recess (mounting portion)
800 Kuma Cassette (Kuma Unit)
800A Kuma Cassette (Kuma Unit)
801 Cassette body 801r Positioning hole 801s Opening (opening)
801v Handle 802 Cassette lid 802i Opening (opening)
804 Ball polishing cloth (ball polishing material)
804a: Dirty ball portion; 804b: Dirty ball portion; 806: Polished feed gear; 806d: Tool hole; 807: Polished driven gear; 807c: Tool hole; 809a: Light color portion; 809b: Dark color portion

Claims (1)

A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming ball flow area on the front side, and a center role device attached to the gaming board and having a predetermined stage part on which the gaming ball can roll left and right,
The center part has a demolding trace portion generated during the molding process,
The stage portion is configured to roll the game ball left and right and then drop the game ball toward a specific area,
The stage portion is
A first member that is attached to the game board and also serves as a front wall of a ball flow path for game balls rolling on the stage portion;
A second member constituting a bottom wall of the spherical flow path;
a third member constituting a rear wall of the spherical flow path;
Equipped with
the second member is made of a single member,
The first member and the third member are fastened together with screws,
the second member is sandwiched between the first member and the third member, is not screwed to either of them, and is positioned by positioning means consisting of a positioning pin and a positioning hole,
The second member has a contact area with which the game ball comes into contact and a non-contact area with which the game ball does not come into contact, and the demolding trace portion of the second member is provided in the non-contact area,
The third member has a special area where the game ball may come into contact and a non-special area where the game ball does not come into contact, and the demolding trace portion of the third member is provided in the non-special area,
The second member has a rolling section in which the game balls roll, and a central release section that can cause the game balls rolling in the rolling section to fall toward the specific area, and at least a portion of the demolding traces of the second member are arranged so as to be approximately symmetrical on both sides of the imaginary center line of the central release section.